Out of the frying pan
by Yourmercifuldeath
Summary: The sequel to Speak No Evil. This story does not follow the show nor the comics at all. This ought to be interesting. New faces, old ones, and more zombies! Rated M for violence, gore, language, and AS? Daryl/OC?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: TADAAA! A brand new walking dead fanfiction, here. It can be read along with it's predecessor, Speak No Evil, or on its own. Hello readers, new and old. I welcome you all to the next installment for my Walking Dead fanfiction series. This story does not follow many, if at all, settings or situations of the comic book nor the television show. The whole cast from Speak No Evil and The Walking dead are back. Unfortunately in a setting whipped up by my own wistful imagination. So you'll have to 'suffer' through that! XD I've decided to try to stuff as many original characters into this sequel as I can so be prepared to meet a lot new faces and squeal in delight when I bring in Rick's group. I'm back and can't wait to put my own ideas to work. Now to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and dive right into this thing! Read on and enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking Dead nor its characters. I'm just an over enthused fan who likes to scribble stories about zombies and carnage. =D

**Credits**: All of the credit goes to my readers from my previous Walking Dead fiction, Speak No Evil. I may be doing the writing but it's all of them who keep me upbeat enough to keep going with it. So since those readers were so great I want to make use of your opinions. Whether you've been following my Walking Dead fic or are just tuning in I encourage you all to tell me what you want to see in this story. Either send me a message or leave it in a review. I've got plenty of gaps to fill up with your ideas and would appreciate the input. Thank you and much love!

**Playlist choice**: The hand that feeds- Nine inch nails

Picture this. The sun rises over a dry, mostly deserted land. Whatever people used to live there are long gone. Missed only by the undead that fed on them at one time. Buildings beautifully constructed now crumbling just like the cornerstones of society. Abandoned and becoming a part of the earth they inhabited. Roads are chunks of gravel with empty stretches of dirt in between littered with neglected cars and miscellaneous litter that blows here and there with every breeze. Sidewalks are nothing more than more useless concrete walked by no one. The technology that humans loved so much is now gone forcing those who stay to live without the luxury that many took for granted. Humans themselves are rare to find. Either hiding in tall buildings or traveling trying to become one with shadows in order to avoid the feral moaning, glassy-eyed, shuffling creatures that have taken over as the more dominant race. In this world we are the bottom of the food chain and the living dead now walk where 'intelligent' beings once ruled supreme.

It all started about a few months ago. At first it was referred to as the new 'flu' and only a few people had it. I'm glad I bought into that bullshit and stayed inside or this tale would be short.. Depending on perspective this could be a good thing or bad. This flu spread quicker than anyone expected and some time later we found it was all a cover up and the government had no idea what the fuck it really was. Even now very little is known. Where it came from. If one could survive it. I've come to know, what I like to consider, a good amount. For example; I learned one can only contract 'it' by being bitten or ingesting any infected materials. I know the process as well and everyone knows the end result. But at the start of things what the populace did know was that something had infected these few people and eventually killed them. This wasn't anything new. There are always diseases popping up that can kill humans. AIDS, Bird flu, swine flu. You get what I'm trying to say. But this new infection was something that no one even considered as a real possibility because those who died didn't stay dead. Like it came straight out of the horror movies or some gory comic.

From there all hell broke loose and our world as we knew it came to an abrupt end without much of a warning. It would have been nice being informed, even a few minutes before shit hit the fan, that we could start kissing our own asses goodbye. But that would be asking too much I guess because there was nothing. Not even the beginnings of a talk about evacuation to a safer area. I don't even think those things exist anymore. So when the infected began to attack others and the government did nothing about it a few citizens decided to take matters into their own hands and ended up zombified themselves and told no one that they were bitten. If you ask me that's just a disaster waiting to happen. If they spilled the beans they would be quarantined and destroyed. Instead they put everyone around them in danger and that's about the time that shit got crazy and in just a couple of months our 'prosperous civilization' become nothing more than a wasteland. A few very short, blood filled months.

Before the breakout I was the girl you avoided in the streets. The one that didn't give a shit, fuck, or damn about anything. The one that always has deep dark circles under her eyes and a look on her face that reads defiance. Thanks to an above average IQ everyone around me looked like idiots. I watched as people walked down sidewalks with cell phones stuck under their noses, oblivious to the world around them on a daily basis. I heard them talking about nothing but sex, drugs, and money and came to realize that to those people that's all that life was to them. I couldn't relate to that because all I wanted out of life was peace and quiet and some intelligent company. So I preferred to stay in. I spent many days in the company of the many characters from the books that lined the shelves on my walls to escape the reality I seemed trapped in like an animal caged in a zoo.

My archery was all that got me out of the house after I graduated high school. I worked but day in and day out I practiced like a mad woman. I didn't have anything to prove to anyone by doing this. I just enjoyed the activity. When I had my bow in my hands with my eye on an invisible bulls eye there was nothing better. The tight pull of the string and the arrow anxiously awaiting it's release. That was my niche. Those simple moments in time that I would sometimes draw out to impossible lengths just to make it last. Complete zen. I'd started this hobby in my middle school years. Back then it was just something to do. But it grew on me and by the time I graduated high school I won many a competition and though I had accomplished plenty this honed skill was my shining pride and joy. I wouldn't be anything without my sharp shooting. My family, though supportive, never really took a liking to this hobby. Though they were constantly claiming to love me they always seemed to hold my little sister as their prized possession. I couldn't blame them. Hope was the light of my life as well. Sweet, adorable, and the kindest person I'd ever met in my entire life. Though she could be an airhead I could forgive her. What she lacked in brains she doubly made up for in heart. Honestly its thanks to her that I survived as long as I did and even found the strength to continue on when all hope was lost, and no, that is not a pun.

When the outbreak started no one in my family was even aware. None of us were too keen on the whole television experience so there was no way for us to hear of it and though I was always listening to the radio I heard no news because every time any type of commercial or real dialog started up with the Dj's I was switching the tuner to something else. The opinions of others has never really interested me so it was only natural that I would tune in to something different. So, needless to say, finding my family under attack by flesh-eating neighbors and friends turned newly zombified I was a bit shocked.

I awoke the first morning of the apocalypse assuming that it would be just another day with nothing really exciting taking place. No one ever predicts these things happening. It's always been placed under the category of 'shit that could never happen' in any conversation. Zombies are only real in the worlds of video games, comic books, movies, and television shows. My biggest concern that morning was getting my bow back from an old friend who had borrowed it for some practice and I would be reunited with the love of my life but nothing as extreme as what actually ended up taking place. Chaos. Carnage. Catastrophe. There was no carpooling that day. All the soccer moms were too busy running for their lives while their children chased them down the streets in their blood soaked uniforms. No pledge of allegiance. The morning school bells would ring and only the undead would answer the call. Now I really fucking hate mornings.

Usually by the time I was up the house would be bustling with activity. I would wake up sometime around two in the afternoon. Just in time for Hope to come home from school. So when I awoke to silence at five in the morning my curiosity piqued. I hadn't been having a dream that would shock me awake to such a degree. So what was the feeling crawling up my spine? It slithered and shook its way up to rest in the base of my neck and fester in the back of my mind. It was haunting, this feeling. Like my instincts were trying to tell me that something wasn't right.

Laying in my bed waiting for the sleep to leave my groggy bones I listened for any indication that anyone was moving around. There was nothing. Hope was deep in sleep in her bed looking as comfy as a clam. Her eyes moved beneath their lids indicating that she was dreaming and her mouth hung open a bit to let a small line of drool seep out and pool on her pillow. She had no indication that something was wrong but in my gut something was brewing and it felt like trouble. Or maybe it was just last night's dinner not settling right in my stomach. Either way I had the strangest of urges to check things out. Being the protector of the house was usually the father's job but since our father was usually at work it was always my job to keep an eye on things.

I rose from my bed and pressed my ear to the wall listening for my older sister, Elizabeth, who was usually tapping away on her computer viciously in her room at this time but again there was only silence. Odd. Had she retired early? A few things began to wander through my mind each possibility more obscure than the last. It was about that time that I finally heard movement. In the hallway moving towards the back bedrooms where Hope, Elizabeth, and I resided. At first I thought it was my older sibling coming from the bathroom but listening closer I began to have some doubts. The sound of dragging feet. Shuffling. Not really steps and what sounded like a quiet groaning. My ears were alert as I took in each one of these sounds and then came a banging against my older sister's door. As if someone wanted in. I listened intently as the sound of Elizabeth getting out of bed told me that she had just managed to call it a night. My curiosity heightened as the options of who it was that was trying to get her attention crossed my mind one by one. I highly doubted it was anyone in the family. Dad was a truck driver and he was in New York by now. Mom had to get up in a few hours to get ready for work so that eliminated her off the list of possibilities. Hope was asleep and Ian, my little brother, wouldn't be caught dead awake at this time of night. He had a strict bed time and he knew if anyone caught him up then he'd be grounded until he was old enough to move out. A stranger then? But how would they get in? 'Unless..' Elizabeth opened her door with an annoyed "What he fuck.." and as I moved to my door and reached for the knob the eerie silence of the house was broken with a shrill scream and an excited howl.

That sure as hell had my attention and I grabbed the baseball bat that previously belonged to Hope's ex boyfriend. He'd given it to her as a keepsake before he moved. Usually it just laid around as decoration but now it would be my potential weapon in case something went wrong and judging by the screaming coming from Elizabeth's room, something was definitely wrong. It sure as hell wasn't right by any means. Hope sat up in her bed as I bolted through the door and into the dark hallway. The small light on Elizabeth's desk was the only illumination and for a second I thought the flimsy lighting was to blame for what I was seeing. Elizabeth backed up against a wall and a mangled man advancing on her quickly. I made a split second decision and if he was trying to kill her then he wasn't likely to stop with her and he would move on to Hope and even myself if I didn't do something to stop that chain of events and with only a moments hesitation I launched myself forward and swung hard.

'CRACK!'

The bat made contact with the fucker's head and the sickening sound of bones being crushed resounded throughout the room. Any human being would have fallen from the sheer force behind that swing but this person or whatever it was just turned its head and moaned at me. I hadn't caused any pain I'd just pissed it off and now it's attention was on me. As the mangled creature turned to face me I found myself looking into glassy eyes shining with the light reflecting from the small lamp next to me and it shuffled forward with a hungry look. It's mouth gaped and dripped with fluids as it advanced. All over its body were what looked like bite marks. Chunks of flesh removed to reveal the muscles and tissue beneath and the skin itself was so pale and withered that it looked like it might fall off at any second. This person was seriously sick or something. Then it hit me as I stumbled back out of confusion and fear. I saw something like this before but not in real life. In a movie. Night of the living dead. This creature appeared just as the zombies from that movie that haunted me for years after seeing it. In those days I was young and so terrified at the thought of the dead walking the earth. Now, older and more experienced, I was pissed. Pissed that something so out of the ordinary walked into my house and threatened the lives of my family with its insatiable hunger. How dare it?

Hope's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as she screamed my name. "DESTINY!" and I swung the bat again aiming for the head once more and upon contact the bat shattered and the creature merely stumbled. Elizabeth was darting past me and out of the room as I watched in horror as the beast continued towards me. I did the only thing I could think of. I tossed the bat with a bitter "piece of shit!" and I fucking ran. Not out of the house like a coward but to my room and I grabbed one of my newly made arrows that I had sitting on my desk. I'd been working on a new design. I wanted something sturdy. Not something that would snap in my practices when I was using the oak in my front yard as a target. This arrow, though still in the works, was the only weapon I had at my disposal and I was sure as hell going to use it.

I grabbed the projectile and told Hope to run and I lurched out of the bedroom again and faced the zombie head on as it tried to shuffle after my younger sister. That would be my extreme stupidity acting up as I placed myself directly in its path. I gripped my arrow tightly and, making sure not to get too close to the things mouth, I plunged the object into its eye with so much force that I felt the tip hit the back of the skull. A 'squish' emitted from the action and Hope shrieked at the sight. I don't think she expected me to do something like that to another human being and I didn't have time to explain to her that whoever I just killed was not human anymore.

The body slumped to the ground at my feet and I stumbled back from the scene in shock at what just took place. A zombie. A fucking zombie! I could feel the things blood on my fac,e wet and cold, and I immediately wiped the disgusting substance on my flesh. I needed time to think and plan and figure shit out but this was not a luxury at my disposal because there was more screaming coming from the living room from who I assumed was Elizabeth. This had me running, weaponless, to find out what the fuck was wrong this time and almost broke my neck tripping over something on my way into the room. My foot caught on it and I had to grab the couch next to me to keep from falling. "What the shit?" The lights flickered on above me and illuminated the room and I glanced down to see what was laying on the floor. I expected maybe one of my little brother's large stuffed animals that he liked to leave just lying around but what greeted my eyes gave me a clue as to what Elizabeth, and now Hope, were screaming about. I had to swallow the noise of fear out of pure pride and the need to show I was strong. Unfortunately it wasn't the scream that I should have watched out for. It was the vomit that spewed from between my lips at the sight of my younger brother sprawled out on the floor with his blood pooling around him in a thick puddle and his eyes open and staring in a frozen state of terror.

Is that what woke me up? If so, why only me? I was known to be a light sleeper but my two sisters weren't exactly heavy sleepers by any means. My shirt, now stained with blood and vomit, I stripped from my body to wipe my mouth and lay it over the boy's head so none of us had to look upon the sight any longer. I shivered in my tanktop and wrapped my arms around myself. I couldn't tell if it was the cold that was making me shudder or the trauma wreaking havoc on my body but there was no doubt in any of our minds what had happened to Ian. Poor kid. What was he doing out in the living room? His bedroom was on the opposite side of the house next to the master bedroom. What woke him up?

With my eyes darting around the room I grabbed three pokers from the fireplace and gave one to each of my sisters. Hope was trembling and tears leaked from her eyes at alarming rates but she was still mostly there as far as her mentality went but when I tried handing a weapon to Elizabeth she just stared at it blankly. I couldn't risk someone losing their mind and I slapped her with as much force as I could muster. Her face changed to one of anger and for a moment I thought she was going to hit me back but I watched as realization crossed her features and she thanked me with a nod. "Stay on your toes and think fast." I mumbled and looked between the two of them. I moved ahead quickly. Everything was happening so fast and I had no time to spare. There was still one more person in the house that had yet to make an appearance and I told Hope and Elizabeth to stay back as I wandered towards the master bedroom where our mother resided. Hopefully she was still alive and chose to hide but I couldn't take the risk of either of my sisters witnessing her body if she was dead. Seeing our brother like that was bad enough. I wasn't going to put such a burden on their minds. Mine was strong enough to take it. Or so I hoped. It had to be. As I placed a hand on the door I glanced over my shoulder at Hope who was watching me carefully. "Ma?" I called out softly and I pushed the door. No answer reached my ears and I felt the wall for the light switch. It wouldn't be smart to walk in with no way of seeing if there was another one of those things lurking. Waiting to pounce on whoever dared venture in. My shaking hand located the switch and, with a deep breath, I flipped it and the room lit up.

I looked around anxious at what I would find but all I saw was a lump beneath the heavy blanketing. "Ma?" I called out to the form but it didn't move confirming my fears and I inched forward. Slow steps brought me to the foot of the bed and I peeked over the edge to see a large red pool staining one of the pillows. "Shit.." I mumbled and with a trembling hand I ripped the sheets back to see my mother. Dead. Against the white bedding the colors of her tan skin and deep crimson blood leaped out at me. Her throat was ripped apart. I went ahead and assumed she'd bled to death probably with no clue what was happening. Her eyes were closed and even her long lustrous lashes were coated with her own blood. I slumped against the side of the bed on my knees and took her cold hand in my own. "Ma.." I shook my head as my stomach hollowed out and became one with the floor. My heart ached for the woman who'd given birth to me. I was glad that I had not allowed my sisters to look upon the scene. Surely neither of them would have walked away with their sanity. I wasn't even sure how I managed the feat. Maybe all the years of avoiding true familial ties was what kept my head above water. I rested my head on the bed next to her. If I had ever believed in god I would have prayed that her soul find peace but it's hard to have faith when zombies are suddenly popping up. No god would allow such a thing. The loss. Basic human kindness being blanked out of existence upon abandonment. If there was such a god I would not worship him.

"Dezzy?" Hopes cautious voice reached my ears and I quickly threw the blankets over our mother's body as the young girl peaked inside to see me standing beside the bed. Her eyes darted to the floor upon seeing me. "Is she...?" Her question needed no conclusion. I knew what she was asking and I nodded. "Yeah.." Silence ensued as we stood there, uncomfortable, with the knowledge of a dead body in the same room. In front of the deceased we were afraid to talk. I gripped the fire poker loosely trying to stay alert as I took a second to think. This is what I needed most at the moment. Just a second to let all the pieces fall together so I could formulate a plan. We couldn't stay in the house. That wouldn't be smart in anyone's eyes. If my knowledge of zombies was in any way correct then the bodies of our family members would not stay immobile for long and we would find ourselves having to kill the people we were closest to. "We have to get out.." I stated flatly my eyes avoiding the bed next to me at all costs. Hope stared at me long and hard and though she wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch she knew I was right. Or maybe she was just putting her trust in me hoping that I would not lead her astray as I had yet to do. Her voice was meek and full of fear as she nodded. "Okay..." We shared a look of understanding and as I passed her on my way out of the room I took her by the wrist and dragged her along behind me. I wanted her out of that room as fast as possible.

Once in the living room I headed towards the glass sliding doors that led out to the back porch. I motioned to Elizabeth. "We're going to need more suitable weapons.." I muttered and looked down at the poker in my hand with a disdainful frown. What we were using now would be fine if we had nothing else but it gave very little space between us and our targets and if the myth about getting bitten by a zombie was true then I wasn't comfortable with getting too close. Besides we had to have something better in the shed.

Elizabeth seemed reluctant to go outside and I could understand her paranoia. I had it too and I looked hard into the darkness unwilling to turn on a light and give us away to whatever was lurking out there. My eyes searched for any kind of movement but there was nothing on the porch. Of this I was sure. "Coast is clear." I muttered to reassure Liz and though she still didn't seem to trust me she went along. I'm guessing she just didn't want to be left behind because whether she came along or not I was going and I was taking Hope with me.

As I slid the door open, quiet and cautious, I glanced over my shoulder and we all exchanged a look before we slipped out on to the porch. Hope was right behind me with Elizabeth pulling up the rear. "Where are you going to find weapons?" Elizabeth whispered as she stuck close to my side and I held a hand up to silence her as I listened for any moans or shuffling. The night was quiet where we were but some ways down the street I could hear screams of terror. "The shed." I pointed to the shack located just off the porch and I ignored her sharp intake of breath. Fear. She reeked of it. I remember thinking that I would one day teach her how to separate emotion from logic. This day would never come. I took the steps off the porch slow. My entire being was on high alert for any surprises. I hesitated on the last step and took Hope's trembling hand in my own gripping it tightly in a gesture of reassurance before taking off towards the shed in a swift run. I could hear Elizabeth's slower pace behind us and noted how much she was lagging. Her obesity would be an issue but I said nothing and kept my thoughts on the task at hand. I had a job to do. A role to play. I couldn't fuck this up.

As we reached the shed I wrenched the doors open and threw Hope inside and waited for Elizabeth who was wheezing as she bolted into the small space. As soon as she made it over the threshold I closed the doors and stuck a two by four, handed to me by Hope, into the handles as a makeshift lock. "Way to think on your feet." I praised my younger sister while Elizabeth bent over with her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. With her back turned I motioned at her to Hope in indication at what I was thinking. Her face told me she understood and she didn't know what to do. We couldn't very well leave the out of shape woman. She was family. That's what was going through Hope's mind. Mine, however, wasn't in agreement but if Hope didn't want me to do anything I wasn't going to do it. Instead I went to work looking for anything that might be useful. Tools were abundant but none of them would be acceptable. Hard to take out a zombie with a screwdriver unless you're comfortable with getting so close to that mouth. I wasn't. One close call was enough. "What are we going to do?" Elizabeth asked as she finally found a normal breathing pace. I continued looking through the possible weapons. A garden hoe wouldn't be smart. None of us had the skill it would take to manage to sever a head with it and I placed it aside. As I weighed a shovel in my hands I answered her question. "We're getting the fuck out of here." and, as I predicted, Elizabeth didn't like it. I tossed the shovel to Hope and she looked at it as if asking me what she would do with it and I answered her look with one of my own that said 'use your imagination.'

I glanced around at our environment and sighed. Not much of anything useful to be found had me considering other options. There wasn't anything in the house that could be considered weaponry. Not by a long shot. A spatula and an oven mitten didn't appeal to me. "Are you fucking kidding me? You want to go out there? With those THINGS?" Elizabeth hissed as I ran my fingers through my hair and thought for a moment. "Damn..I'm really starting to regret lending my bow out.." I sighed and took another look around.

Something caught my eye and as I moved towards it our older sister pressed me for information. "Are you fucking listening to me?" She raised her voice but I didn't acknowledge her. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I picked up the object of my interest. An axe. A little heavy and it would take a bit longer to swing than the shovel but it would take a head off without much resistance and it was really the best candidate for our situation. I couldn't very well go out wielding a rake. "Yes, I'm listening." I sighed as I turned with my new weapon in hand admiring it fondly. Hope cracked a smirk at my love for all things destructive.

"Then what the fuck are you thinking? We should stay in our house where it's safe!" Elizabeth stated stupidly. Yeah, that was a smart idea. If by smart, I meant suicidal and idiotic, which I did. Very smart. I presented her with my logic and reasoning hoping that she wouldn't get in my way. Or maybe it would be a good thing. I could practice my axe swing and we wouldn't have to drag her along with us. I could kill two birds with one stone. "If it's so safe then how did that zombie get in? Did you maybe forget to close the garage door before you went to bed? Also, Little bro and ma were both infected by that thing and by now they're up and walking around so if you want to go back inside go ahead. But you'll be going alone." I shrugged and I think it was this display of indifference and sardonic attitude that pissed her off. Or maybe it was the fact that she was having to hand over whatever kind of control she'd had in our every day lives to me. Either way she got pretty fucking pissed and stuck her finger in my face. "Look here, you little bitch. You think you're going to act like some cowboy in a movie trying to be a hero and you're just going to get us killed!" She raised her voice to me and I shrugged. "I told you that you can go. I'm not telling you what to do but there's no way that I'm going back in there." I stated and tilted my head and this only pissed her off even more but she just shook her head, turned away, and headed for the door muttering 'stupid bitch..' under her breath. I was okay with her leaving and going back into the house to die so I didn't move to stop her but the second she took Hope's hand and tugged her towards the entrance I didn't hesitate. It was on like Donkey Kong.

I took my fire poker up again and, with a crazed swing, I slammed the object into the aluminum wall beside our older sister's head halting her actions abruptly. No way in hell was she taking my reason for living and delivering her into the hands of demise. I'd kill Elizabeth before I let that happen and this registered on her face when she turned her head to look at me. Her eyes were wide and fearful. At the moment the zombies were the least of her concerns.  
>"Let her go.." My voice was cold. A flat monotone and the sound of it must have been intimidating in some way because it had Elizabeth reconsidering her hold on our younger sibling. She looked to hope in some sort of faith that she would talk me down from what I was doing. "You want to get her killed too?" Elizabeth asked me with her eyes on Hope the whole time. Hope's face read defiance. She knew better. Elizabeth saw this and pleaded with her. In truth she just didn't want to be alone. Through the years not once had she taken the time to acknowledge Hope's existence and now here she was trying to get her to turn her back on me. The one who'd been her other half since she could walk. She had to be out of her mind.<p>

"You know better than that." Hope shook her head and pulled her hand free of the older woman's. "Dezzy would never let anything happen to me." She said and moved closer to me. I had to resist the urge to take her hand or touch her in any way to keep my grip on the axe. I savored her faith in me as it surged through her and into me. It calmed me and gave me the concentration I needed to refrain from ripping Elizabeth's head off for costing us so much time. If we were dealing with zombies then every second was crucial and we wasted so many already. People would be infected left and right and the ratio of zombie to human wasn't going to bode so well for us if we continued to waste any more precious seconds. Elizabeth looked between the two of us and I watched the resignation pass over her. She didn't want to be alone which she would be if she decided to stay in the house so her only other option was to come along with us despite my wishes. From the second she took Hope's hand any familial ties I had with her were severed and I ceased to think of her as our sister. She was just another person now and I had no qualms with leaving her sorry ass behind.

"Okay. I guess I have no choice.." Elizabeth mumbled and I shook my head as I headed towards the door. "There's always a choice. Whether it would be smart or not is another question.." I muttered as I removed the two by four and cracked open one of the doors. I heard her scoff at my comment but I ignored her and peeked out letting my ears take in the sounds of the outside world. More screaming in the distance but nothing necessarily close. The creature in our home must have been a straggler because it seemed like most of the activity was down the road. The one that lead out to the highway which told me that the city, in all likelihood, was unsafe. It was ironic that I hated that we lived in a rural area but it gave us such an advantage.

Options fluttered through my mind as I looked out and tried to catch any hint of threat no matter how miniscule. There were very few places that we would be able to flee to. We needed a place that was uninhabited and had the decent possibility of being fortified well enough to be a safe haven for a little while. The next forty-eight hours would be hectic if people were being zombified. Once the situation became apparent to everyone else panic would spread like a wildfire and the threat levels would be less from the zombies and more from frantic people trying to escape. Where to go...Where to go...Where..to..

"Hope. Why do you feed Mr. Frank's cat every day after school?" I asked as a thought hit me and an option presented itself. Hope seemed confused and out of the corner of my eye I saw her shrug. "He asked me to do while he was on vacat-" She clapped her hands excitedly as she caught on to my train of thought. "Oh, Des you're a genius!" She said and I couldn't help but smile at her compliment. "So I've been told." I said and motioned to my two siblings. "It looks clear but we're going to have to keep our eyes open." I said.

Mr. David Frank was a retired elderly man who lived alone with his cat as his only company. Hope and I befriended him in our youth and he was one of the very few people who held my respect. He was a kind man with wit that trounced my own on many an occasion. I found myself hoping that wherever he was he was safe. His home was located at the end of the road which was a good distance from our current location. We would have to make a run for it but if we could make it then his house would be perfect. Two stories with storm windows. If anything we could block off the staircase and take refuge on the second floor. If that failed then the roof would make a fine haven for a good while if we brought plenty of food and water with us. The fact that it was out-of-the-way appealed to me as well. His home was not just off the road. There was a few yards of forest around the perimeter hiding it from prying eyes. It might not deter zombies but a person running would not think to go into the woods to look for a house.

"How are we going to get there?" Elizabeth asked and I looked at her like she was stupid. "How the fuck do you think?" I looked to our feet as an indication and her eyes went wide. "Walk? Can't we just take the car?" She asked. I rolled my eyes at her obvious dislike at the thought of a little cardio. It's not like it would kill her to do a bit of running. "Yeah and risk the lights and sound attracting some company that can follow us? I don't think so." I said shaking my head. Behind me Hope was silent but I could tell she and I were thinking the same thing. 'Idiot.' It was time to move. No longer could we stay in hiding in such an unsuitable place. It was time to get going before we had any more stragglers coming around. Again I took Hope's hand in my own and squeezed. Keeping her right behind me was my top priority. "You feeling froggy, PITA?" Hope sighed at my nickname towards her. I'd bestowed it upon the young girl many years previous on account that she always had me fighting her battles for her. It stood for Pain in the ass and, secretly, she loved it. "Yeah." I could hear the hesitation in her voice. The hesitation she was trying so hard to hide and I admired her for showing such strength in this dire situation. "Then let's jump..."

I kind of wish I could tell you that this is a short story. That we made it to Mr. Frank's house without incident and waited out the infestation which ended a few weeks later. That we'd laughed and grown close as a family once again and we all had a happily ever after. Well, shit that sounds all fine and dandy but that's just not the truth. So sorry to inform you.

We took off. Well technically, Hope and I took off. Poor Elizabeth, though trying so damn hard to keep up, was about a yard behind us as we started sprinting off towards safety and neither Hope nor I was willing to slow down for her. Not after the stupid shit she'd pulled back in the shed. Around the house to the front we cut across the front lawn and made it onto the street with not so much as a glimpse of one of those' things'. Like I'd assumed most of the activity was in the opposite direction. It would be impossible to think that there wasn't a chance of some being in the same area as us. That's just the way it was starting to look.

I glanced over my shoulder as we came to the halfway point to our destination as Elizabeth exclaimed for us to wait. I halted in my tracks out of pure shock that she could suggest such a thing. As she jogged to catch up with us I surveyed the surrounding area and grew furious that she could slow us down so much. If we hadn't stopped we'd have been running up to the point of the woods just outside of Mr. Frank's house just about the time the slow woman caught up with us. We could have been safe in just a few more moments. It was Hope's hand squeezing my own that had me thinking twice about just kicking her ass and leaving her to die. After all it wasn't my fault she had no will power when it came to sweets.

"I need to rest for a minute." Elizabeth wheezed as she bent over with hands on her knees again. I gaped at Hope exasperated to the point that I wanted to start ripping my hair out by the roots. What the hell did she think this was? A game? Did she fully grasp the situation we were in or what? I was seriously starting to doubt it. "What the fuck do you mean rest?" I hissed as my eyes darted around like a maniac. "We don't have time for your shit! Kick it into gear, Beth!" I continued as Hope stood quietly. She wouldn't involve herself in this. That was just the way it was with all of us. In our home lives Beth and I butted heads on an almost constant basis because she had some weird complex when it came to asserting her dominance over me no matter what was going on. She had to be 'the older sister'. Why the fuck she was choosing now, of all times, to pull that bullshit was beyond me.

"Fuck you, Destiny! If I say we rest, we rest!" She seemed to have forgotten what happened back in the shed. That she had no control anymore.. I was a loose cannon ready to blow but she was still trying to pull the dominant bitch thing. I wasn't going to play her game anymore. "I'm not dying!" I hissed and before Hope could have a chance to stop me I planted a foot into her shoulder sending her toppling over in a wheezing mass. As she hit the ground she roared with anger and I clenched my fists in fear that the noise would attract unwanted company. Fuck that bitch. I wasn't sticking around to find out. She could enjoy dying alone at the hands of our flesh-eating neighbors. I was done. But as I turned to walk away Hope wouldn't budge. 'Shit! for crying out loud!'

"Des, we can't just leave her." My younger sibling pleaded with me and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was seriously sticking up for her after what had gone down not even a few minutes ago? Which reminded me. Time was still ticking by. It wasn't going to wait for us and our window of safety was closing with every second. "Yes we can!" I growled and yanked the girl towards me. She was stubborn and jerked back as Elizabeth scrambled to her feet. Her features were contorted in anger.

I pointed her. "There. she's fine. Can we GO now?" my voice low and full of anticipation. I couldn't handle all of this. Not this. My mother and younger brother were dead and probably craving human flesh. My 'older sister' was a cow who could barely make it a few yards without running out of stamina and my younger sister, my reason for living, was pleading with me to risk both of our lives on account of one weak link. Add the impending end of the world and guess what? You have one stressed out person. I had no idea that trying to keep one single person alive would be so difficult. It was starting to make me regret saving Elizabeth's ass to start with. I should have grabbed Hope and ran when I saw that thing in her room. I should have let it kill her while we made our escape because she was turning out to be more trouble than I wanted or needed. I cursed myself for my mistake..

"I think I can keep going now.." Elizabeth grumbled. She was still obviously pissed at me and I threw my hands up in the air. "Bout fucking time.." I grumbled and made a move to continue. But I'd made a mistake. In my fury I hadn't kept a close enough ear out. I didn't catch my mistake at first. I thought the shuffling footsteps behind us were Elizabeth's but as I made to continue running and my body went back into 'full alert' mode I immediately distinguished that set of footsteps as irregular. Elizabeth may have been tired but not to the point that her steps would be so uneven.

"Nggggaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh..." That moan. That moan did a lot for me, I'll tell you that now. I swung around upon hearing the groan from behind and made sure that Hope was positioned safely and shielded by my body and just as I turned my head to locate the undead cannibal Elizabeth's shrill scream filled the night air. Not like the screams she'd emitted before that point. Those were of fear. Of horror. This scream was just like the ones I could still hear from down the street. Screams of pain and anguish. The kind of blood curdling banshee howl that had goosebumps rising all over my body as my eyes locked onto the sight of her as she was tackled, pinned down, and treated like Fido's favorite chew toy.

Broken, bloodied teeth sunk into the flesh of Elizabeth's shoulder and the beast tore a chunk from her. I watched unable to move as blood began to gush in all directions from the wound. As the flesh was torn away, resisting without my hope of success, the fatty tissue and muscle beneath was revealed. The bite was so deep that I could see hints of her collar-bone peeking out at me. So white against the intense red. Her face screwed up in pain and her eyes screamed at me just as she began to cry out for help. Those hazel eyes that had expressed such hatred towards me at one time were now full of helpless abandon, terror, and desperation.

"AGGGGHHHHHHHH!" I flinched at the sheer force of her scream. The expulsion of noise that ripped forth from her throat as another bite was taken. This time from her neck and the zombie pulled at the flesh tearing the jugular vein which seemed to struggle but after a tug or two the creature let it be. It was satisfied with its mouthful of skin and muscle. The forgotten vein hung limp from her neck. while her screams turned to gurgles it spurted blood onto her shoulder and chest. Then Elizabeth was silent. I was stunned and paralyzed by the sight as Hope tugged on my arm urging me to move. It was like I wasn't there physically. Yes. I knew where I was and what was going on but my mind was a different story. Someone had pressed the slow mo button on my brain and every step backwards felt like it took hours. I was entranced by the pure, uncensored gore and violence taking place in front of me. How could I lose my cool like that? I was supposed to be the strong one, right? Then why the hell did I feel like my stomach had no bottom and my heart was taking refuge in my throat?

"DESTINY! MOVE!" Hope's terrified shout snapped me out of it and I swiveled my head to see why she was staring back so horrified. Now that Elizabeth was dead the zombie was no longer interested in feasting on her. No. Not when there was fresh meat standing a mere two yards from it. I shuddered harshly as I took a look at its gaping mouth dripping with blood. It's face was covered in it. Like a child who'd shoved their face into their birthday cake. I'd done that once. Those were the good times. Carefree and innocent. Odd how I would remember such a thing while staring at a ravenous flesh eater as it began to stand. "Oh...Fuuuuuuuuuucccckkk." I mumbled and shoved at Hope. "Go." She didn't move. She was just as frozen as I was but I was shoving her along through my terror. "Go." I repeated and as she took a step the zombie began to run at us. I shoved Hope roughly. "Go go go go go go GO!" I shouted and we began to sprint like our lives depended on it. Because well, they did.

I didn't expect the undead to be able to run. Especially as fast as it was coming after us with its terrible moans ringing in my ears. It was terrible. The sound itself was enough to make me want to throw up let alone what I had just seen it do. I didn't want my life to end like that. Not at the hands of something that was just going to chomp on me and then leave my corpse to become just like the rest of them. No way in hell. Thinking about it wasn't good for me. My heart was racing as Hope and I dashed down the street like two bats out of hell but the image of being killed by one of those things increased my heart rate and panic coursed through my entire being. By the way, letting yourself become distracted with thoughts while you're running increases your chance of tripping. How do I know? Because the second I took my mind off just putting one foot in front of the other as fast as I could one foot caught beneath the other. I fell and my face was happily greeted by the pavement.

My chronic panic increased as my body took a second to recover. A second that I couldn't nor wouldn't spare. I could hear the zombie's footsteps. They were frantic as it came upon its next victim and perfectly in rhythm with my crazed heartbeat. I groaned as my nose throbbed. I could feel blood trickling down my lips and onto my chin. It felt broken. "Shit." I refused for this to be the end for me. I was way too stubborn to let something like this mean my demise. What pain? Oh, that intense headache, roadrash on my face, and a broken nose? I can run it off.

My axe fell away from me when I landed and as I heard the creature moan in victory I could just imagine the gluttonous look in its vacant eyes. It was probably drooling with anticipation for warm flesh to tear into. "Not this time, fucknuts.." I grunted and forced myself to my feet. I launched myself at my axe and as soon as I had it in my grip I turned with my weapon at the ready as the beast lunged for me. "Batter batter..." I mumbled. My hands were shaking as I brought the axe up to shoulder height. "Swing!" I shouted and let the weapon go with everything I had.

"Shplurnt!"

A wonderful sound filled the air as the moans of the zombie ceased. Hope was standing feet away clutching the shovel to her chest as the zombie's head landed at her feet. In front of me its body crumpled to the ground. All kinds of nasty fluids leaked from the severed hunk of meat that could barely be considered a neck after the abuse of the axe that I now used to support my weight. The stress on my body was becoming unbearable with all the shit going on. I desperately needed to rest. I'd taken out two zombies in less than an hour which, to me, was equivalent to running five miles after two days of starvation. Add in my lack of sleep and you've got a good estimation of what I was experiencing. My heart was racing and my adrenaline was going crazy and giving me the shakes. Or that could have been the shock. Of course my will to keep going wouldn't let me stay immobile for long and while Hope was busy tossing her cookies all over the Zombie's severed head I made my way over to her. I was trying to act normal. Like none of this was effecting me in the least. Like I said, I was supposed to be the strong one. If she saw me crumbling she'd follow suit immediately and it was my strength that was helping her keep up her own. I knew this well enough to hide my exhaustion and emotional unbalance for her benefit.

"Come on. We're almost there." I jerked my head towards the small opening of woods half a mile away. Hope looked at me with teary eyes. Her stunning brown gaze fearful and shaky as she stared at me like I was some hero in a comic book. I think the only word to really come close to describing it would be 'awe.' Yeah, that sounds about right. "Dezzy...You..." Her words trailed off and I didn't even want to know what she was about to say so I tilted my head and cracked the fakest smile I've ever had to place onto my face.  
>"Race ya."<p>

That was months ago. How many? I couldn't tell anymore. It was difficult to keep track of time these days. But laying on a cot with a broken cigarette stuck between my lips while I stared at the ceiling of an office I was still thinking about it. Every single detail of those first few nights were still so vivid in my mind. As if they'd taken place mere hours ago. Where had the time gone? Speaking of time. I didn't even know what time of day it was. There were no windows in the office I inhabited and I'd just woken up not too long ago. I'd guess a half an hour give or take a few minutes. I hated sitting around with nothing to do. "Figure it's about time to get my lazy ass up.." I grumbled and smothered a yawn. Though I got enough sleep in the night before after serving my watch shift I was still tired as all hell. Sleeping on a cot can do that to a person. I must have tossed and turned all night. The thin cloth that served as my blanket hadn't survived my non-stop movement and lay on the dust-ridden floor in a bundle. Not that it mattered. Georgia's nights were barely cooler than the days. Sometimes I awoke sweating bullets. But I wasn't looking forward to winter either. If the others survived it without freezing to death then I'd consider us lucky.

I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the cot. My back protested but that was nothing new. I'd be sore no matter what position I slept in. At one time I'd thought about suggesting we grab a bunch of mattresses on a scavenging trip into town but we didn't have a truck or any mode of transportation other than our feet. Walking in and out of the small city undetected was difficult enough as it was. I couldn't imagine any of us surviving toting around a bunch of mattresses. The cots weren't simple to get but they were nowhere near as difficult as actual beds. Ah, the simple luxuries that we had to sacrifice in this wasteland.

With another yawn I attempted to run my fingers through my hair to straighten out my eternal bed head but my fingers became tangled in a knot instantly and I sighed. "Fuck..Need to find a brush or something. This is becoming a pain in the ass." I grumbled. With a tug I freed my fingers and used a rubber band secured around my wrist to tie my hair up in a messy bun. I was tempted to find a sharp object and lop all of it off. Especially my bangs which were too long and constantly hanging in my eyes. I struggled to blow them out of my face unsuccessfully until admitting defeat after many failures. "Fuck it." I huffed and looked around the office I'd come to know as home. Filthy as always. I'd done what I could to make it feel somewhat more comfortable by pushing the dilapidated desk against a wall to give myself more room. Unfortunately I couldn't do anything about the layer of dirt on the floor. It was so filthy that footprints could clearly be made out. One good thing about that. I'd know just by looking at the floor if anyone ever invaded my space while I was out. Still it would be nice to find a broom and convince the others that its useful instead of a waste of carrying space.

All over the walls were charts. A majority of them were there before I claimed the office as my own. They were sales charts and shipment schedules. All very dull and boring if you'd ask me. But there were a few I pinned up during my time here. One of them was a map I picked up at a gas station. When Hope and I first arrived I used it to trace the path we'd taken from our home to this city. I only kept it to remind myself how far she and I had come. How much we'd survived. We made it out of the outskirts of Atlanta into the rural area around the city. Getting through Atlanta had been one hell of a struggle that was full of close calls. There were so many times that we came face to face with death. Sometimes I wonder how the fuck we made it out alive. All those times I made decisions that I wasn't proud of and karma still hadn't caught up with me yet.

When we'd first come upon the city my rule had been to avoid heavily populated areas at all costs. But there was no way we could have gotten around 'd were running low on supplies. We had a straggler with us. His name was Shawn. He was a deadbeat with an attitude who would soon be facing the challenges of being a father in the apocalypse. Initially he hadn't been alone. We'd come across him and his six month along pregnant girlfriend just before leaving Atlanta when we hit a sports shop. Our first meeting was a bad omen from the start. I found a fair hunting bow and had stuffed a bag full of arrows. I was testing out the feel of the bow when the two entered. Shawn wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch. He'd come up behind me while I wasn't paying attention. "Sure you know how to use something like that?" He asked. Startled, I turned and aimed an arrow between his eyes. "Are you sure it's a good idea to sneak up on an armed archer?" So much for a good first impression.

He had this odd idea in his head that since we'd technically become a 'group' we also needed a leader. He and I didn't get along all that well in the end. Time and time again he shot down my ideas trying to assert himself. It made me wonder what the hell was up with the power struggle? He wasn't the first person that tagged along who attempted to travel such a path. I explained the situation to him one night when he got seriously mouthy. He was spouting some bullshit about how he had more experience with the area when I finally snapped. I told him, as politely as I could, "There is no 'leader', asshole. It's just me and Hope and you decided to tag along. She and I are going to live and no one is going to get in the way of that. If you want to stick around go ahead but I'm not following you. If you don't agree with my plans then go your own way. You don't have to stick around. I never invited you to join us in the first place so I don't even know why we're having this conversation." He ceased his arguing and in the end he stuck around. I didn't give a damn what he thought, said, or did. He wasn't my responsibility. Hope was. The only thing I cared about was making sure I kept her safe. The rest of the world could go fuck itself.

His girlfriend, Rebecca, was killed not too long after that. I never said it to him but it was his fault. Yet he placed the blame on me. I took a certain back road that none of us were familiar with and he'd gone on a rant about how we were heading for a death trap. In truth it was the only way we could go without being in plain sight of walkers. I ignored him and kept going but stress was a big factor in this world now. Too much of it and people tended to snap in a big way. Just like Shawn. Ever since then I refer to insane snapping moments as 'The Shawn effect.' The complete and utter disappearance of all logical thinking resulting in disaster more often than not. He wanted us to slow our pace because Rebecca couldn't keep up in her state. I wasn't willing to waste time. The undead were bound to discover us if we stopped too long. If we'd just kept moving then she wouldn't have died. The resulting argument was the end of her. As her boyfriend started getting louder and louder with his demands it should have come as no surprise when walkers showed up. He'd been ringing the god damn dinner bell. Still he had the oddest look of shock on his face when Rebecca was grabbed and torn to shreds. The loss of both Rebecca and her unborn child hit Hope hard. It saddened me but I couldn't afford to show it. I had to keep us moving. She would be the mourner while I remained the distant one. These were our most comfortable roles.

Shawn's death was fresh in my memories as well. I looked at my hands and stretched my fingers out able to clearly make out his blood soaking them. His death was on me. I'd broken one of my own rules of the game and risked all our lives in the process. But I had no choice. Or did I? We needed food. None of us had eaten anything for days. The sounds of Hope's stomach kept me awake while I kept guard as watchman over whatever place we camped. Sleep was nearly impossible for me to achieve with danger around every corner anyhow. We needed food to move on and there was no telling when we'd get the chance to stock up again. So I headed into the city with Hope and Shawn putting their lives in my hands. But I hadn't put enough caution into my actions and walked into the wrong convenience store. Shawn ended up undead and Hope and I were about to go down with him. It was a stroke of luck and a sniper with ADD that saved us. A sigh escaped me and I clenched my hands into fists. We'd come so far.

I couldn't stay stuck in my head any longer and slung my bow over my shoulder. I'd begun taking it everywhere with me because I was afraid to be caught off guard if I didn't. I exited the office and looked around at the large warehouse I currently resided in. It was abandoned for years before the outbreak and before being discovered by the group of survivors that lived within it's neglected walls. We owed that group our lives. 'If it weren't for these people Hope and I would be dead..' And I'd thought basic human kindness had died with ninety percent of the world's population.

Back in the convenience store I turned my back for a second. One single second had been enough time for the undead to get the jump on us. I hadn't properly scoped out the area to see what we were dealing with. At first glance the place looked deserted enough. Until a lone walker caught sight of us, moaned, and attracted an assload more. My thoughts before that moan centered around what would be the lightest food to carry around with us. Afterwords I'm pretty sure I thought nothing aside from a string of curses that were too foul for me to even remember. Shawn went down first. He was the closest to the entrance and was grabbed by five or more zombies while Hope and myself were frozen in surprise. How in the hell had they gotten to us so quickly? Where had they come from? It was pure chaos. I grabbed Hope and shoved her down in the middle of the aisle hoping the walkers hadn't noticed our presence yet. I was too late. As soon as we ducked three walkers rounded the corner in our aisle and headed straight for us with brutal intent. My bow was of no use so I went with the more practical weapon that I'd refused to give up in case of emergency. My axe. I scrambled to my feet and began swinging wildly. I successfully dispatched two of the walkers and took off the third ones left leg but it began crawling after us. I pushed Hope and we attempted to escape the aisle in the opposite direction but only more of the undead awaited us at the end. There were far too many for me to handle on my own and more were coming down the aisle the same way the first group had. We were backed into a corner with death's clammy hands extending out to us with a feral grin. I positioned Hope behind me and gritted my teeth. Maybe it would be quick. Maybe one of the zombies would tear my jugular out and I'd bleed out within seconds. God, but what about Hope? I'd failed her. Her sobbing was heavy as she clung to my back with her sharp little fingernails digging into my flesh through my shirt. "Looks like it's the end of the line, PITA." I shut my eyes tightly and hoped for a quick death for the both of us. But I was wrong. It wasn't the end. Not even close. In fact it was just the beginning.

Upon scanning the area I spotted three of my fellow survivors. Jackson and Kirk were goofing off. While I stood and watched Kirk attempted to show Jackson a couple of moves he'd learned from his days as a police officer. The move they were currently working on was commonly called the Hammerlock. I'd never used it on anyone and had no idea how to do it but from what I could see it was basically a way to control an opponent using their arm by applying pressure and manipulating the shoulder while gripping the wrist behind their back. Jackson didn't look too happy with having it used on him just as a demonstration but he showed some patience and allowed Kirk to teach him. This was a rare sight. Jackson wasn't exactly known for being patient or friendly. He was a large black man with a mouth to match his size. The type who was too stressed out for his own good. He had a smart mouth, was quick to anger, and had a huge attitude problem. He also had an issue with treating women like human beings instead of objects. Since Hope and I were welcomed into the group I noticed that there wasn't a single person that Jackson didn't argue with or smart off to. He even got into it with Kirk a couple of times but kirk was a nice guy who got along with everybody because he was just so friendly. How he got along with Jackson astounded me. Jackson could be a little on the racist side at times. But maybe it was because Kirk, despite the stress of the apocalypse, managed to keep a sense of humor and a knack for making others smile. 'He might be the only person who can stand to be around Jackson for more than five minutes.' I thought as I watched the two grown men roll across the floor cursing. Typical men. 'Start a playful spar and end up getting serious about the whole matter.'

I turned my attention to a man sitting off to the side on a stack of crates. Vincent Connolly Was one of the greatest men I'd ever met in my entire life. A retired army Major general, Vincent was a solid old toughie with plenty of years of experience under his belt. Sixty years old and he was still in great shape. With a tousled mop of grey hair and crinkled brown eyes it was obvious that he had been a handsome young man. His skin was a little worn and his tattoos were fading and somewhat difficult to make out but there was still plenty of muscle left. I'd never seen a man of his age in such a condition. He might have been the most prepared of any of us in the group. He was used to war. The fact that his enemy was now the undead didn't even seem to phase him much. As long as he could end his day with at least thirty kills added on to his record he was happy. He was doing what he loved to do. He was serving his country and defending those close to him. Like me and Hope. In our time with the group both of us had grown close to Old Vince. But that was inevitable. He had the classic humor that I admired and a mind as sharp as his shooting. A month or so after joining the group's ranks he was the one to introduce me to the assault rifle. A lovely weapon if you've got the ammo room for it but I still preferred my bow to most weapons.

On both sides of Ol' Vince there was a pile of sticks. He'd pick one up, whittle away at it for a while, and then set it into the other pile. I watched him curiously for a moment or two before I couldn't help myself. I approached him but he didn't look up until I spoke. "What are you doing?" I asked. He raised his head and shot me with his million dollar smile. Not a single tooth missing. I could only dream of aging as well as he was. "Hm?" He looked down at the project in his hand and shrugged. "I noticed you were running low on arrows. Just trying to help." He said and motioned to the pile on his left. I arched an eyebrow and picked one of the would-be arrows and looked it over. "Not bad. Nice thickness and length." I ran my fingers over the gritty wood and shrugs. "Shood work nicely. A little rough though." I looked it over once more and dropped it back into it's pile.

Vince nodded and tapped his knife in his knee. "Yeah. I'll see if any of the boys can scavenge me up some sandpaper or something." He scratched the back of his neck. "These'll just be back up of course. Just in case ya can't get your hands on arrows when y'all go out for supplies." He sat up a little straighter. I nodded trying to hide the full extent of my smile. Vince was such a nice guy. He wanted to make me arrows? I barely even wanted to do that when I was at my most bored but he'd thought about me and wanted to help me out. He was the father figure I should have had while growing up. Strong, kind, and disciplined. But I guess my biological father didn't do a horrible job at raising me. Hope and I were basically good people thanks to my parents.

"Well I shouldn't have to worry about that. We've got some scavenging planned today." I was looking forward to it. I'd made a small list in my head of items I was in need of. Plus it was nice to get out and stretch my legs. I didn't much like being cooped up in the warehouse all day every day. There were plenty of people to talk to and there was enough space to get some exercise but it wasn't the same. I liked the outdoors. Vince shook his head and tapped his knife a couple more times. "I don't know about that. You might want to go talk to Ruki 'bout that." He said with a chuckle. The tone he said it with made my hopes drop. Damn it. "Great." I sighed. "You know where I can find him?" I asked. Vince scoffed at my comment and pointed up. "Where else?" He chuckled and sniffed his armpit. "Ugh. And after ya find him how about ya try to talk Caleb into letting us use some of the water for bathing. It's been a while." He made a face and quickly dropped his hand into his lap.

He was right. It had been a long time since any of us had been able to bathe. To conserve water usage Caleb had restricted water to only food, drink, and the occasional laundry day. "Well why don't you ask him?" I asked. Vince wagged a finger at me and arched an eyebrow. "You know that damn man only listens to you. Stubborn as a mule, that one. Luckily you've got him matched being as bull-headed as you are. You've got a better chance than any of us do." He barked a laugh and I nodded with a thumbs up. "I'll see what I can do." I turned with a wave and headed off for the stairs. Finding Ruki would be just what I needed to wake up. Jogging upstairs would get my heart pumping and give me some more energy than what I had after waking up in such a shitty state. I was always having to find him for answers or to deliver a message to him. It sure was helping me stay in shape. Yet another thing I was grateful to Ruki for. That list was starting to get pretty long. He was the reason Hope and I were rescued from the convenience store.

The group was on a scavenging trip and were looting a store one street over from our location. Ruki, being the group's sniper and lookout, was positioned on the bookstore directly between their group and Hope and I. He told me afterwards that it was by complete chance that he looked over to the convenience store. He radioed Caleb who gave him the go ahead and he cleared a path to our location. It was a very clean escape. They had teamwork and precision. It was more than I would have expected from a group of survivors. I'd met a few that shouldn't have lived for as long as they did. But they had two of the best leaders that anyone could have asked for. Caleb and Vincent were some of the best at strategy and planning. Like a pair of generals preparing for war. Those two kept the moral up with ease, kept order, and were hell bent on keeping everyone inside the warehouse safe. They were both so different but had the same goals. Vincent was the one who was always up and about keeping everyone on their toes and smiling while Caleb tended to shy away and stick to his office to sketch out different strategies and figure out how we can use our resources more effectively. I usually had to force him into socializing and being interactive with all of the survivors. He'd help someone in an instant but freeze up if having to talk to someone in a casual setting. He was all statistics, logic, and planning. What a workaholic, right?

I was breathing heavy by the time I made it to the top of the steps and I rested for a second in front of the door to the roof to catch my breath before heading out into the bright sunlight. I immediately shielded my eyes and looked around. It wasn't hard to spot Ruki. He stuck out like a sore thumb in most settings. He was hunched over, sitting Indian style with his rifle propped up on the ledge, and his eye glued to the scope. That's the position one would find him in ninety-seven percent of the time. He loved his rifles like a fat kid loves cake. Originally Ruki came to America from Japan to go to college. He was studying to become a doctor just like his mother and father nagged at him to do his entire life. Honestly I couldn't imagine him being a doctor. You see Ruki is the type of guy who doesn't really fit the mold of someone walking down the hallway of a hospital unless he's in a straightjacket. Because mommy and daddy pretty much controlled his entire life since the day he was born Ruki began to rebel against them at the age of eighteen. He began bleaching his hair because he couldn't stand to be just like everyone else in Japan. He got an entire tattoo sleeve on his right arm and he pierced damn near everything. His lips, the bridge of his nose, and his left eyebrow. His ears glittered with multiple rings and studs, his tongue, his nipples, his bellybutton, and I've never asked about anything lower than that. That is information that I don't need. Ever. Don't get me wrong. Ruki was a pretty handsome guy. Strong jaw, in great shape, and those dark, exotic, ever observant eyes. Add in his explosive personality and he was a catch in his own way. He was funny, smart, and best of all he was himself. His batshit crazy brutally honest self. I just didn't have romance on my list of priorities.

His parents didn't care what he looked like as long as he got good grades. When his parents told him this he took it as the green light to completely go ape shit. America was his way of letting loose. His parents weren't there to control him. The possibilities were endless. As soon as he made it to America he began wreaking havoc on anyone he could. He'd start random bar fights for no reason except that he was getting bored. He'd stroll down the street with a crowbar and whistle jaunty tunes while he smashed in the windshields of parked cars. He'd hire a hooker just to sit in a room and talk to him. He said the best company is the kind that you will never see again. Those are the people you can spill your guts to. He wasn't the most balanced young man in the world but he sure was one hell of a sniper. He was also one of my closest friends. He'd let me work on my aim on the roof with him on occasion and sometimes we'd just sit up here in the dead of night on watch and talk about our lives. The people we were before the chaos. For being a psycho he sure was an interesting one. With all of his crimes Ruki was only arrested once. He was sitting in jail when all hell broke loose.

I watched the young man as he scanned the area with his scope. Back and forth he watched in the distance. I was worried about what had Vincent telling me there may be no trip into the city. Since he'd told me to talk to Ruki who happened to be the lookout I assumed the zombie forecast wasn't going to be good. But there was no point in being pessimistic. Maybe he just didn't feel like going today. We all had our days where we didn't want to do anything. Rest was pretty important so these days were looked forward to. But it would leave me with little to do.

I tiptoed around behind him and bent down next to his right ear. "BOO!" I shouted and hopped backwards quickly as Ruki jumped and cursed loudly. "SHIT!" Clear as a bell. That was something about him that I found hilarious. Ruki wasn't the best at speaking English and the only words in the English language that he could pronounce clearly were curses. People tended to steer clear of him because they found it so difficult to communicate with him. It took a long time for me to get used to his thick accent enough to hold lengthy conversations with him. But if he got excited then there would never be any hope for anyone to translate. When he talked too fast it made no sense whatsoever.

He whirled around and shot me a glare. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" He growled. I smirked and sat down on the ledge. "Stop cancelling our scavenging trips." I retorted. Ruki tore his eye away from the scope to shake his head. "If you could see what I see then you wouldn't want to go into the city either." He said. I looked out across the miles of grass and dirt to the outskirts of the city but could see nothing. Did I want to? We all knew what owned those streets. "How many?" I asked. If there were few enough then I could probably convince Caleb to still let us go in and get supplies. Ruki chuckled and moved over. "See for yourself." He motioned to his rifle and I sighed. "Alright." I crouched down and looked through the scope. My jaw dropped. The last time I was in the city it hadn't been too bad. One hundred. Maybe one hundred and fifty at the most. Now there were much more. I'd estimate about four or five hundred. "Holy shit." I grumbled and sat back and stared at the outskirts in the distance. Ruki picked at a loose thread on his jeans. " For the past week there have been more and more every day. We'll have stragglers in a few days. There's no telling how long it will take them to move on."

I shook my head. "That's not what I'm worried about. How are we going to go without supplies? If they keep multiplying like this then we're never going to be able to go in. We haven't been out for a week and a half. We have eighteen mouths to feed. Why the hell aren't we going out while we still can? Within the next few days we won't be able to get anywhere near it without risking unnecessary lives." I motioned to the city. "We can still make it in and out. I say we go in today and tomorrow and make sure to get enough for us to have a chance at lasting. Those walkers might not get into the warehouse but that doesn't mean we can't starve to death." Ruki glanced to his rifle and chewed on his bottom lip. He looked hesitant. I had faith in the scavenging teams so why couldn't Ruki? Something was bothering him.

With a grin I played the one card that would always give me an upper hand when it came to convincing my batshit crazy buddy. "Oh, come on. What happened to Mr. Gung ho? Any other time you'd be the first person jumping at the opportunity to give your beloved rifle a little action." I frowned and kicked at the ground absently and watched the young man in my peripheral vision. He was staring at his gun and I watched him lift a hand to stroke the barrel affectionately. "She has been kind of bored lately." He mumbled. I tried to refrain from smiling and cleared my throat. "Just think. Today and tomorrow are going to be your only chance to play with her. After that it'll be a while before it's safe to even pick off the few that travel this way without being detected. " I saw his hand twitch on the barrel and he froze. I won. How did I know I'd won? His sigh. His sighs always meant the same thing. 'Oh well.'

"You've got my consent. Now you just have to get Caleb to okay it." A sly smirk crossed his lips and he shook his head. "Good luck." He said. I kicked at the ground some more. "I'm gonna need it. Vincent asked me to mention water for bathing to him. Now I've also got to convince him to let us go out." I shook my head and chuckled. "Damn. I don't know how I'm going to pull this one off." Ruki shrugged and slipped a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He lit up and rested his back against the ledge. "I don't know. That's up to you but if you're serious about this then you'd better get to it. I wouldn't consider it wise to be in the city after dusk. We'll need time to prepare and discuss routing. We're also going to need to send out scouts to locate where the most activity is. If we're lucky we can avoid them. If not.." He shook his head and quickly changed the subject. "I'll go out with Jackson and check things out but only once you've got the green light. I'm not doing shit until then." He waved to the door and he leaned forward to glue his eye to the scope again. I no longer existed to him. He was in his own little world with his rifle. "Alrighty.." I mumbled. I turned on my heal and exited the roof.

The trip down the stairs was quicker than my trip up. I wanted to hurry up and get this shit out of the way. I couldn't believe the amount of moaners I'd seen just from the borderlines of the city. How many would be beyond that? There would be no telling until the scouts came back. That would take around two and a half hours for the both of them to travel by foot the entire way. Two and a half hours in which those of us back at the warehouse could get everyone prepared to go out. Then we'd wait for the scouts and formulate a plan depending on their reports. But it was going to take some serious persuasion on my part for Caleb to get behind the idea. He was always hesitant to take extreme risks. If he didn't find a mission to be safe then he wouldn't let a single person outside. Not for anything. I proved once that I didn't need his permission to do something. I snuck out and slipped into the city to get Hope a sketchbook and some pencils just because she said she was getting somewhat bored without being able to draw. That was something she excelled in. She had a shining inner artist that came barreling out in her paintings, sketches, and sculptures. Plus it was getting kind of close to her birthday so I went in. It was all fine and dandy for a while. But then Caleb found out I'd snuck out and sent Ruki after me which ended in disaster. I had what I'd come for and was already out of the store by the time Ruki arrived. He thought he evaded all of the walkers. In reality he'd been seen by a couple and that attracted more. By the time he got to me he had a dozen or more trailing behind him. We barely made it out and Caleb was pissed at me when we got back. Ever since then I've been watching my actions. If I could carry everything we'd be needing I'd probably go on my own but I couldn't. Plus it was kind of nice to have someone else there to watch my back.

I jogged down the remaining flight of stairs and passed by Kirk and Jackson. They were sitting down, both breathing heavily and laughing over something. Kirk waved as I passed and I returned his friendly gesture but Jackson was oblivious to my presence. He and I never really got along that great. The first time we met we started butting heads. But we had come to a truce. As long as neither one of us bothered the other then we could continue to work together. While out in the city we did well with one another but those were the only times we really communicated. As soon as we were back in the warehouse we ignored each other.

Caleb's office was all the way across the warehouse from my location and was down the only hallway. It lead to a meeting room of sorts. This is where everyone on the scavenging teams met up and discussed strategy. Caleb had taken to sleeping there more and more. If I had to choose a place to look for him it would be there far more often than in his room. So I headed in that general direction. I passed by Chelsea, Linda, and Tracy washing clothing in an old bin with filthy water. They also had water restrictions. Only one bin of water for laundry. Things were getting pretty tight around the warehouse. We needed to grab cases of bottled water so we could use our water supply for more.

The three women looked up as I came closer and Linda smiled and waved. I would have simply waved and continued on my way but Tracy stopped me with a "Just who I wanted to see." I stopped and raised an eyebrow. Hopefully they didn't want me to ask Caleb something for them too. If so then I wasn't going to get anywhere. "Hm? Why did you want to see me?" I asked. Tracy shrugged and rung out the shirt she just finished washing. "I was just wondering if you've brought your laundry out. I can go get it if you want me to." She said. I shook my head and put all of my weight on my left leg. "No thanks. I'll bring it out here eventually to wash." I bounced slightly, anxious to keep moving but Linda chipped in. "You know, honey. I don't know why you don't let us wash your things. Doing this at least makes us feel like we contribute." She shook her head and scrubbed at a pair of someone's jeans. I didn't have time to explain to her that I didn't like other people doing something for me that I can do for myself. I had enough help from these people as it was. I didn't need them doing my laundry too. I leaned away and made to turn. "Don't worry about it. Um I gotta go." But as I turned Tracy laughed. "Jeese. Why are you in such a rush?" She asked. I heaved a sigh and shot over my shoulder "I've gotta go talk to Caleb about supplies and water." To this both Linda and Tracy giggled and I arched an eyebrow. "And what's so funny?" I asked. The two of them just shook their heads. "Nothing." Tracy said. Her mother dunked the jeans into the murky water. "You visit him an awful lot. Always running back and forth for him." She paused and chuckled. "Can't say I blame you. If I was your age I'd be chasing him too." Her statement had me staring at her, dumbfounded, before shaking my head, holding my hands up in defense, and laughing. "Nuh uh, ladies. It's just survival. No gossip this time around."

Linda and Tracy were two of the biggest gossip mongers I'd ever met. They could turn the smallest statement into the most corrupt, disgusting thing to reach human ears since William Hung. It surprised me at first. My initial impression of the both of them were so far out of the ball park that I was in a whole different game all together. I thought they both looked like the typical professional women types. Linda retired three years ago but still held that air about her. Her hair was always pinned up neatly and her clothing was as conservative as she could manage and she showed manners like none other when in the presence of those who might judge her behavior negatively. Her daughter was like her much younger twin. They both had the same high cheek bones and sharp features which gave them both supermodel good looks and they shared many of the same mannerisms. As if they'd spent so much time in one anothers presence that they began to rub off on each other. They had the charm of a beautiful flower but every rose has it's thorn. They tended to look down on middle class citizens. Not noticeably but I'd been around them enough to catch their coy glances when they were lying or trying to get someone to say something they could sink their teeth into. It's why I made sure to watch what I said in their presence. But I could forgive them for their childish behavior. They were entertaining themselves. It was better than them snapping and experiencing the Shawn effect firsthand instead of just hearing about it from the others when they'd swap war stories or their days before joining up with Caleb.

Tracy was studying to become a divorce lawyer while working as a secretary in a law firm. Her life was spent on her cell phone and laptop. She was more attached to that phone than a mother was with her child. Even though there was no chance she'd ever get a signal she still carried it around like her very own worry stone. She usually kept it in her back pocket. Sometimes I'd catch her reaching for it out of habit if the need for information presented itself. If she didn't know something she was the person who immediately looked to the Internet for the answers she sought. Neither of the women were very bright which made them older versions of the majority of girls I'd gone to high school with. I had the tools to deal with women such as this. Ignorance was one of my biggest weapons. If they didn't know anything then they couldn't say anything. 'But there isn't anything for them to know in the first place.' I shook my head and looked to Chelsea. She'd been quite the whole time and appeared to be ignoring the whole conversation. In all likelihood she was. That's what I liked about her. She was a little quiet but she wasn't nosy or pushy. Plus she was a pretty damn good cook. She was the only one who could really prepare a meal around the warehouse.

Chelsea was a tall young lady. At six feet and two inches she towered above the rest of the women and most of the men even. She was thin as a rod with a soft, round face. Her hair was a deep chestnut and fell around her waist in long, thin, straight locks. I'd always thought her hair was gorgeous and occasionally pondered how she kept it so healthy. It complimented her stunning blue eyes in an almost dangerous fashion. Though she kept to herself I could see her as the kind of girl that every guy secretly wanted to approach but wouldn't because of her tall stature. It didn't matter if she was a sweetheart who could take care of a man. People were too caught up with appearances these days. It would take a rather large man to have the guts to be seen with a taller woman. Or a man who didn't care what others thought. Someone with a big personality.

I looked over the three women and chuckled as Tracy and Linda shared another look. This one I couldn't really decipher but I guessed it was something along the lines of 'Yeah right.' But I didn't need to worry about them. As long as they didn't take any of their gossiping too far peace could be kept. So I headed off before I could add any fuel to whatever fire they were attempting to start. Even the smallest of flames could spread and grow with so much as a drop of gasoline.

I hung a left and headed down towards the meeting room. It was all the way on the west side of the building down a long hallway. There were only two in the warehouse. One hallway was lined with offices used as bedrooms. Sixteen out of eighteen slept in them while the rest of us chose rooms at the front of the building. I chose mine because it was minutes from three possible exits. When Hope and I had first arrived I'd doubted the solidity of the fortress we resided in. I wanted to be able able to get out if anything ever went to shit. It usually didn't take too long. If there was one thing I'd learned from this whole ordeal it was to never stay in one place for too long. Gotta keep moving because no place is a safe haven. I was glad that we'd been surviving for a couple months in this place and I'd grown fond of it but it all boiled down to what Ruki said on the roof. There were more and more of them everyday and soon there would be thousands if the numbers kept climbing the way they were. If we weren't careful there could be a huge chunk torn out of our group.

With a deep breath I knocked on the door. From inside there came a sigh followed by a weary "Come in." I opened the door and slipped inside quickly. In case he saw me, changed his mind, and dismissed me before I could get a word out. Caleb was sitting at his desk pouring over charts and random scribbled notes that made no sense to anyone but him all over the wall behind him. As I entered he barely spared me a glance. He momentarily looked up but it was only a split second and then he returned to what he was doing. "I should have known I'd be getting a visit from you today." He muttered and crossed something out with a thick black marker on one of the notes he was scribbling away. He crumpled it up, tossed it in the trash bin, and started on another one. Sometimes watching him work was like watching a schizophrenic trying to complete a one thousand piece puzzle with eighty five missing pieces. Interesting to say the least. He'd mumble to himself off and on, scratch the back of his neck until he left welts, and jumped from one thing to another like a junkie.

"Oh yeah?" I asked and set my hands on my hips. "And why's that?" I feigned offense at his tone. He continued scribbling away. Once he finished he spun around in his chair and slapped the note up onto the wall with a small strip of tape. He stared at it for a second or two then he spun back around and began shuffling through a pile of papers that were crinkled, disorganized, and some were even stained. He began rifling through them with nimble fingers. "Every time a trip is postponed or cancelled you come in here demanding an explanation." He said. I looked back on some of the trips I'd made to this very room and nodded in agreement. That seemed about right. I grabbed a chair from against the wall and dragged it over. I plopped down into the seat across from him and shrugged. "Yeah..Well I don't like to get bored." I gave my pathetic excuse and hoped he accepted it for what it was. Honesty.

From across the desk he shot me a look but didn't keep eye contact for long. "Of course." He nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from the stack in his hand and examined it. "We all know what happened the last time you 'got bored'." He said. Low blow. I sighed and tapped my left index finger on the arm of the chair. "Oh, come on. You can't hold that against me. I would have made it back safely without Ruki." I paused and took one of the pens near the edge of the desk. The end of it was marred and dented. 'He's been chewing the tip. Must be getting stressed.' I thought. "Besides, I had to get Hope something for her birthday." It was a fact. I hadn't missed one of her birthdays yet and just because the world ended didn't mean I had to start.

Caleb shook his head. "You do too much." He said. I scoffed at the comment. Coming from Caleb that was the last thing I thought I'd hear. He knew how it was. "For her?" I sighed and shrugged. "I can never do enough." I said. His expression was one of deep thought for a moment or two. Then he shook his head and motioned impatiently. "So what is it that you want?" He asked. The tiny crinkle in his brow deepened and I cleared my throat and held up my index and middle fingers. "Two things." Caleb's eyebrows rose a centimeter or two and he muttered "Well this is bound to be interesting." The flat monotone in his voice nearly disheartened me but I shook off his sarcasm and kicked a foot up on to his desk still toying with the ballpoint pen. "Let us use some of the water for bathing." I ticked one finger off and wished for the best. The best was a shake of the head followed by the usual " That's eighteen bodies to wash and we're going to be running low on water pretty soon." It was nearly always his go-to argument. But I was prepared with my second request and twirled the pen between my fingers. "Which brings me to my next request." I meant to continue but Caleb sat forward in his chair and folded his hands on the table before him. Traditional 'I'm too busy to be listening to this shit' pose I most commonly remember from my days in school. "Let me stop you. I already know what you're going to ask and the answer is no, Destiny." The muscle beneath my left eye twitched at the way he said my name. Not even Hope called me Destiny. To me it was the equivalent of a parent using a child's middle name to show that they mean business. It irked me to be treated like a child again. But I didn't lash out at him. The dark circles under his eyes told me he hadn't been sleeping well. He had a lot on his plate trying to maintain a group of eighteen people.

I kept my voice at an acceptable level and inclined my head. "You didn't let me finish." I said but Caleb was ready with another flat "No." And he went back to shuffling through papers. I sighed. "Would you just listen to me for a second?" I huffed and tapped the heel of my boot on his desk impatiently. He set the bundle in his hands down and shot me a look that read exhaustion and impatience. He tapped his index finger anxiously and inhaled deeply. "I'm all ears." Finally. He was going to let me get a word in edgewise which wasn't as easy as one would think with Caleb. Once he had his mind made up there was very little one could do to change it. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Thank you." I eased the chair onto its back legs and rocked back and forth a few times. "I talked to Ruki. I know why your hesitant to allow this. It's risky. We've got a lot more to deal with than ever. The hoards are growing and most of them probably haven't fed on anything for weeks. There can't be any mistakes. Not a single one. " Caleb continued to stare holes through me as if all of this was boring and repetitive. I ignored his obvious wish for me to hurry up and accept that it wasn't going to happen and leave him alone. I continued as if his display didn't bother me one bit. "But if there are going to be more and more coming into the city and wandering in this direction to move on to the next one then when are we going to get supplies? We've got to stock up on a bit of a haul don't you think?" I paused to gauge his reaction but there was no way to read his features. Trying to figure out what Caleb was ever thinking would leave even the most patient of men cursing and spitting. Not even Vincent was willing to attempt.

"We'd be risking lives, Dez." He sounded tired and he yawned lightly as he lifted his hands to massage his temples in slow circles. His groggy, sluggish appearance this afternoon was a bit of a damper on my own mood but I was determined to persuade him. I had persistence on my side. "We'll be risking lives if we don't. If it takes these walkers too long to move on then we may find ourselves in an extremely sticky situation. If we have to wait it out for more than a week we're going to run out of food and water, Caleb. Come on.I've already got the okay from Ruki. Now I need the green light from you." I watched my chances improve as Caleb rested his hands back on the desk and made eye contact with me. "What are you suggesting? I'm sure you've thought this out beforehand." He raised his eyebrows and I hopped on the train of opportunity. "Two scavenging trips before locking down. Today and tomorrow." I rushed through the statement thinking I might be getting somewhere. Nope. I slammed headlong into Caleb's iron wall of pessimism.

"Today? No way. We don't have enough time to throw anything together as far as a game plan." Caleb shook his head and I thanked my lucky starts that Ruki was backing me on this. He had the good sense to think ahead and I would have to thank him for it later. "Yes we do." I urged. " The sun sets at eight thirty. That gives us seven hours. I know we can do this. We'll be in and out before dusk." Oh, how I loathed begging him but it was my last resort. Caleb dropped his gaze to the desk and scanned over the cluttered contents. "It's impossible. There are twice as many walkers today as their were last week. They're popping up by the minute. There's no telling how many are waiting in that fucking city." He ran his fingers through his hair and rested his head in his hand. He looked somewhat pathetic. The almighty Caleb was replaced with a deflated replica. He had my condolence. It wasn't easy keeping other people alive and content. Having to constantly make life or death decisions and knowing that if something goes wrong the blame would fall on his shoulders. He had to be tearing his hair out. "You've been pretty stressed." I changed the subject for a moment to take his mind off of the issue at hand. He raised his head to look up at me through his thick eyelashes and grumbled "I wonder why." With a tone that resembled his usual sarcasm and a gesture to the charts and maps crowing the wall behind him. I smiled to myself and let out a long breath while I let my eyes wander around the room. "Because you haven't left this room in days. I haven't even seen you eat anything." I scrunched up my nose as a cockroach skittered beneath a pile of old newspapers in the corner. Caleb smothered a laugh by clearing his throat and tapped his finger some more. "It's good to know you've been watching me." He said and I shrugged. He made it sound like a terrible crime to look out for someone. He was pushing himself too hard and it wasn't healthy. "I kind of have to. If I didn't bug you about getting out of this room and taking a break you would never leave." Caleb could deny it all he wanted but he was a serious workaholic with some anxiety issues.

"I'm sorry I don't have time to play host." Caleb grumbled as if he could never have an opportunity to let himself rest. "You should make time." I suggested. If the rest of us could do it then so could he. "You can be fun when you cut loose." I pointed out. Before the sudden threat of zombie population growing in the city he was easier to have fun with. We were all going through a rough patch. Negative attitudes were bound to sprout when everyone is waiting for more bad news. Caleb was no exception. "This is survival, Destiny. Not happy fun time." Caleb's retort fell flat with no emotion whatsoever. It was no matter. I would go around and around with this man all day if I had to. "But you've got to take a break once in a while or else you'll get stressed. You won't sleep which is only going to make it to where you aren't as alert as you should be and you don't eat when you're brain needs food to function." I tossed the pen onto the desk and it rolled to a stop an inch away from his fingers. "You end up chewing on ballpoint pens and become a grouch. No one likes a buzz kill, Caleb." I shrugged again and rocked back in the chair. From across the desk Caleb gave me a narrow glare that said 'watch it.' So I backed off a little and tried another approach. Easing the front legs back down onto the ground I sat straight and crossed my legs. "Come on, Caleb. have a little faith will you? We'll all go play fetch for a little while and everything will be fine. I'll even stop on the way through and grab a bottle or two of that Jack Daniels you like so much and we can all celebrate a successful trip. How's that sound?" I put all I had into this last attempt at persuasion.

Caleb didn't miss a beat. "Cocky and far fetched." He said. Then he waved his hand in dismissal of my offer. "And don't try to bribe me with booze." There was the tiniest hint of a smile present on his lips for a moment. It was quick but I caught it. "I will if it works." I chuckled and then a miracle happened. Somewhere in those dead, thoughtful eyes there was a flicker of amusement. His mood finally got a boost and I broke through his stubborn resistance. The wall of pessimism was shrinking.

"I'm assuming you have scouts?" I gave myself a mental high five as his question signaled certain victory. I nodded quickly. "Ruki is up for it. He wants to take Jackson. I'm sure he'll go. He's been pacing for the last few days. He's been getting bored." I paused and smirked to myself. "We all have." Aside from days we went out there wasn't anything going on. We all just lived. We'd socialize, pick up hobbies to keep us busy, and waited. We waited for time to run out and if any of us managed to find another place to turn into a fortress we'd still be waiting. All of this had me considering moving on before things got really bad. In the back of my mind I was still concerned about staying in one place for too long. How long could we last here? Months? Days? How long before there would be too many walkers to escape this place? Until it's impossible to go outside because there will always be a hoard shuffling by. They'd find a way in. The walkers are always turning up in the strangest of places. Porto-potty? They aren't safe. Ever. In case of emergencies at least knock first and make sure nothing is inside. If there is then either A.) Kill the shit out of it. Or B.) Deal with the ruined clothing and empty your bowls while you haul ass in the opposite direction. Golf courses are bad in their own way. Zombies shuffling and crawling around with golf clubs wearing sweater vests. Fucking creepy. I've even seen group homes for retired veterans. They're all old as dust still wearing their uniforms. There's something fucked up with seeing a walker using a walker. My point is that there was a list of places that could be considered 'safe' and it was getting shorter with every day. The more undead spawned the less humanity would stand a chance.

Caleb was so close to giving in. I had victory within my grasp. Just a few more centimeters. "You're sure about this?" He asked. He still didn't look one hundred percent comfortable with the idea but I didn't need his confidence. I needed his permission. I tapped my fingernail against the flaking surface of the arm of the chair. "Yeah. No worries. We've got this in the bag." I stopped and wagged my finger at him. "You know, I think you underestimate us." I had enough confidence for the both of us. I was worried about going in too but I had to trust that those of us going in would be prepared to do so. The others would be more ready for it than me. They'd been in and out of the city at least a hundred times before Hope and I showed up. I was still a novice compared to them. They knew the layouts, the death traps, the temporary hide spots, the exits, and the strategies. So if I was ready to do this then there was no way in hell they wouldn't be.

"No. I just worry." Caleb shook his head and there was still a hint of amusement lingering in those bottomless pits when he made eye contact next. "Trips take our manpower away from the warehouse and the teams you choose aren't the most stable group of individuals when they have the freedom to slack and goof off. I can never predict one of your trips one hundred percent. One of you always does something.." He paused and tapped his chin with his finger as if trying to find the right word. "Reckless." He finally plucked one out of the air. An instance that first popped into my head was my second trip out. I wasn't leading the team that day. Kirk was. No one trusted me enough for that yet. Those were the days when the city wasn't as populated. There were a hundred and fifty at most so trips were risky but also provided opportunity for a little fun. Take lighting a garbage can on fire with a flaming arrow to attract zombies and then see who can pick more off from the hoard for example. The group was at a safe distance and it was fun in my opinion. Plus it provided a great distraction from the teammates who were doing the looting. Caleb chewed us out for being careless but most of us got it easy. Poor Kirk got the brunt of it all.

I shifted in my seat and let Caleb's words sink in. "So is this a yes I'm getting?" I asked. Caleb didn't say anything for a moment. He picked up his stack of papers again and riffled through halfway. He then isolated one and scanned it with his gaze. As he turned it over to look at the back he sighed. "I trust you to put a team together and to send Jackson and Ruki out immediately." My jaw dropped and all I could do was stare stupidly at him until he glanced to me and then to the small clock on the right corner of his desk and raised his eyebrows at me. "Clock's ticking." He said. I hopped up out of the chair and nodded. "Thanks." I rushed to the door but Caleb stopped me as I opened it. "Prep your team and have them in here once the scouts return. We'll see where this goes depending on their report." He didn't bother to even look at me when he said it but I didn't care. I accomplished what I came to do. I gave him a sloppy salute and grinned. "Aye aye captain." I exclaimed and took my leave. It was time to Rally the troops.  
>...<p>

**I know some of you guys are like "Where's Mute? Where's Daryl? The rest of the survivors? Who are these new people? I'm scared, Merci! Hold me!' and I'm here to tell you that patience is a virtue, not to fear, and I can't hold you because then I would look like a crazy person hugging a laptop while caressing it softly and whispering sweet nothings into its CD drive. Um..Yeah.. I've come up with something interesting and new (I hope) for you all to feast your eyes on for this and since it took me so long to get around to writing again I'm going to be working on two stories now. This one and the one that will follow the show and comics more. I'm going to have my hands full but it's worth it when I log on and see reviews and other notifications from you guys reading this. In chapter two Destiny takes out her team, we meet some more new faces, and maybe we'll get a look at Rick's group and what everyone is up to. Now I'm going to stop babbling and conclude this with the usual not so subtle hint to review. Do it. You know you want to. Look at your mouse. It wants you to do it too. Do the Dew? I'll stop XD. Anyways..Much love!**

-Merci.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: Over the last few weeks I think I've become psychic because I can feel the frustration growing in you readers out there. Funny right? No? Oh well. So much for me trying to make light of my inability to buckle down and give you guys what you want. Sorry about that. I don't even have an excuse. I can't say I've been busy because I feel that lying to you all would do me no good. It would just result in writer's guilt and that doesn't sound very appealing to me. I've just been slightly distracted but never fear another chapter is here! =D Rejoice! In this chapter I've got some of our new faces and some of the old and even one that will make you guys squeal in delight. I don't want to ruin it so read on and, as always, ENJOY!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking Dead nor it's characters blah blah fucking blaghhh..

**Acknowledgements**: =D  
>-<span>Cherrymae<span>: I'm glad you're excited because I am too. It may not seem like it because of my elongated pause from this story but I am. I've got a lot of good things in store and I can't wait to unleash all of my new ideas on you and everyone else!  
>-<span>xXBXx<span>: Patience is a virtue XD  
>-<span>itspeanutbutterjellytimex3<span>: What have I done? Hmm..Good question. You'll just have to keep reading to find out. Well I can't really answer your question because it was a spur of the moment thing to add the characters older sister into the ordeal. I think it was just an excuse for me to put some gore into the first chapter and give you readers more of a look into Dezzy's personality. She's going to be one of those characters that you're going to hate to love and love to hate XD  
>-<span>Yodes<span>: Ask and you shall receive..Even if I didn't update in a fashion anyone could consider 'soon'. From my perspective it was very soon.  
>-<span>SaraLostIne<span>s: Hmm..You think you know where this is going? OH NO! I hope I'm not becoming predictable..Hm..I may have to fuck with shit now..RANDOM CURVEBALLS AWAY! XD  
>-<span>pURPLEPER<span>P: Heh heh nah I don't underestimate my frustrating cliffhanger abilities. Its what keeps you and the others coming back for more. I think in that way I can safely compare my writing abilities to crack or meth..Yeah..Maybe not. I need to stop rambling.. BUT yeah no worries. I'm getting back to Mute in no time! Patience! =D

**Playlist choice**: A perfect Circle- Counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums.

The first person I had to get my hands on was Jackson. It wasn't something I was looking forward to but doing it would bring me one step closer to being out of the warehouse collecting supplies within a few hours. I would do dangerous, reckless, and suicidal things for that. The boredom was going to kill me if I didn't get out and stretch my legs in the wide open fields outside of the city. The wait for Ruki and Jackson to get back would be the worst. Two hours or more of me pacing impatiently going over the list of things I wanted to grab over and over until it was ingrained into my brain.  
>1. Toothpaste<br>2. Brush  
>3. Arrows<br>4. Bow string.  
>5. 45. ammo.<br>6. Tampons.

Honestly the last item on the list would be the hardest to get. It makes a little sense if I look at it the right way. Any woman who knew that they would have to stock up for a long haul would grab as many twat plugs as she could. I know I would. Imagine going through the rest of your life as a woman who ruins her clothing every month. I could see tampons being in the top twenty most looted items. Cigarettes, alcohol, and guns would be in the top five. All three of these things were getting harder and harder to find in quantity. Sometimes I've gone through five different stores and only collected three packs of cigarettes. They were a precious commodity these days. Stress is a big factor in people's lives and what eases stress? Sweet cancer sticks. The smooth burn of chemicals in the trachea and lungs. Smoking isn't the best habit but at least fast food wasn't an issue anymore. I'm sure if someone ever invented a Big Mac flavored cigarette they would be rich and America would be fucked. Good thing the zombies came along and forced us all to become active. A slow man is a dead man. I like finding the silver lining in things.

Jackson and Kirk were right where I left them. They were both cooled down from their fun and were talking with a careless air about them. I looked them over and wondered how exactly they could be so content with their lives. Was it adaptation? Was that why the sight of blood phased me less and less with each day? I never gave it any real thought because I wasn't noticing as much. This is the way life was now and somehow I was strong enough to accept it and continue on. We all were. That meant we were strong enough to take each day as it is and make the best out of it until we hit the end of the road.

Jackson didn't look up at me as I approached but Kirk was all smiles. "Afternoon." He said and I nodded before addressing my target. "Hey, Jackson. Go talk to Ruki." I said. The man raised his head to rake me with a disdainful gaze. His strong jaw jutted out in defiance and his lips turned up into a smirk. "And why would I want to do that?" He asked. I shrugged my left shoulder and shifted my weight. "Because the trip is back on." Jackson's entire demeanor flipped as soon as the words left my lips. He still didn't like me but I could smell tolerance in the the air. Lucky me. "Holy shit! Really?" he exclaimed and I nodded. "Yup." I scuffed the toe of my boot on the ground a time or two and jabbed a thumb over my shoulder towards the staircase. "Ruki chose you as his scouting partner. Head to the roof, tell him its on, and get moving." If I were to attempt to give Jackson orders like that in any other situation he might punch me in the face. But as soon as he knew he was heading out with me he was alright with it. I asked Vincent about it one night and the old man just chuckled at my question. "Don't know. Maybe it was the talk Caleb and I had with him when he first started the bullshit with Kirk. Jackson knows if he fucks up on account of his attitude he's out." I didn't let it bother me since.

On his feet Jackson stretched and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Finally. Some fuckin' action." He grumbled and shook his head. "Just in time." He laughed and, while heading away, tossed over his shoulder "Any more of this sittin' 'round shit an' I mighta killed ya'll."

Kirk and I watched him go until Kirk spoke up. "What about me?" He asked. Kirk wasn't used to being left out of scavenging activities. He usually ended up leading almost every one of them. Sometimes Vincent or I would lead a party but Kirk was a natural at it. I turned my attention on him and set a hand on my hip as he stared up at me waiting for direction. I scratched my chin and arched an eyebrow at him. "What I'm wondering is why you're still sitting there." I grinned. "I'm taking you, Cody, and Brandon in." Kirk's nose scrunched up and his blond, bushy eyebrows knitted together. "Why Brandon?" He asked as if it were the most terrible choice on the planet. I tapped my foot impatiently. "Didn't you hear me? We've got shit to do. You'd better suit up and grab a damn weapon." I was excited and whenever I started getting excited I could be somewhat pushy and insistent. I didn't consider it to be my best quality but it wasn't a bad thing to want to get out and do something productive with my time. Kirk sighed and rested a big, meaty hand on his upraised knee clad in sweatpants. "I never thought I'd be taking orders from someone seven years younger than me." He grumbled. I got the feeling that he was talking more to himself than me but I was getting frustrated and huffed. "And I never thought I'd have to urge you, of all people, to move! Move! Move!" I gestured wildly and Kirk watched me with mild amusement. "Geese. You're like some crazed warlord when you get like this." He chuckled. I shrugged and nudged his rear with my boot a couple of times and he held his hands up in surrender. "Alright! Alright. I'm going." He got to his feet and shuffled off. That was two down and two to go. Fetching Cody and Brandon was going to be far more difficult than Jackson and Kirk.

I headed off down the hallway that served as housing to half of the group including the two young men I was hoping were smart enough to get a good nights sleep last night. I stopped at the third door on the left and pounded my fist against the hard plastic surface as hard as I could. Then I pressed my ear to the door just in time to hear the person inside curse. "Cody! Get your ass up. We've got work to do." I shouted through the door. A moment later Cody poked his head out looking like he just rolled out of bed. His thick head of chestnut curls appeared to have been stuck in a blender and his honey colored eyes were bloodshot. He glanced around the hall and yawned. "You scared the shit out of me. What the hell do you want?" He asked. "Scavenging trip." I said and he leaned his inked shoulder against the door frame. Behind him I could see pictures of nude women pinned up all over the walls. He got his hands on a stack of Playboy magazines on a trip into the city a week after Hope and I arrived. He came back with a huge grin on his face and his prize in his arms like a chest of gold. At first I was put off but it wasn't so hard to believe of a twenty two year old man.

"Shit. Vince told me it was off so I went back to bed." He looked me over with tired eyes. "How about you join me?" His eyebrows shot up and I barked a laugh. "First of all, the trips back on. Second, I'd rather attempt coitus with a rotting pig corpse." Big, narcissistic, and dumb men weren't my types. He wasn't phased by my words one bit. He yawned loudly again and nodded. "Fine. Let me get ready. I'll be out in a few." Then he went back into his room and closed the door. I put my faith in him that he'd get dressed instead of just falling back into bed and passing out. If he did I would ignore water restriction rules and dump a damn bottle on him. As I kept moving down the hallway I considered my chances of outrunning him.

The fifth door on the right was home to Brandon Marks. Typical high school senior prom king material. Blond hair, blue eyes, Captain of the school football team, and all American. He had to have been his father's pride and joy. In the apocalypse Football provided Brandon with a valuable skill. He was really good at running away. Brandon was a coward if I ever met one. He wasn't cut out for this world at all but I wanted him on the team because of his quick feet.

A minute or two after I knocked, Brandon opened the door and I smothered a laugh at the sight of him standing in the doorway in a pair of pink boxers with candy red heart patterns. "Dude..Nice." I gestured to them and he glanced down. With a shrug he inclined his head. "Is there something you need?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah. Go put some clothes on. You're on today's looting team." Brandon straightened and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Who's leading it?" He asked. "Yours truly." I replied. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Yeah okay. C'mon. Seriously, who's leading?"

I gave him a flat look. "Look alive, sweetheart. I want you dressed, bright eyed, and bushy tailed in half an hour." I bounced on the balls of my feet anxiously. Brandon tapped his fingers on the doorknob and nodded along like I was a nuisance. "Jeese. Alright, Drill sergeant." He said and closed the door. I waited for sounds of him moving around and getting ready before I was satisfied and headed back to my own office. I secured the door behind me and descended on a duffel bag in the corner that contained what little clothing I owned. Out of this bag I pulled a pair of jeans, a brown tank top, and decided to stick with my army boots as footwear. Once I'd broken the damn things in they turned out to be the most comfortable shoes I ever owned.

While I changed I recalled a moment in time when I used to wear only baggy clothing. It was loose, comfortable, and easy to maneuver in. But my sense of style had to make changes to fit my new lifestyle and baggy clothing wasn't an option anymore. I wouldn't clothe myself in anything that could possibly be used against me if a zombie caught hold. Hope, always being the type of girl who wore cute, tight clothing that showed off as much as possible, poked fun at me when I made such a drastic change. It wasn't like I enjoyed being put on display in revealing clothing but I grew accustomed to being viewed as an 'attractive woman' among the men in the group. It wasn't all that bad. At least I could put someone in their place if they copped a feel.

Just as I was lacing up my boots again there came a knock at the door and Hope popped her head in. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled to myself. 'Think of the devil and she shall appear.' I thought. She was one of the only people I hadn't seen since I woke up. Her whereabouts where unknown to me but I had a good idea of where she'd been. "How long have you been up?" My little sister asked as she fully entered the room and crossed her arms around her middle. I finished with the laces and brushed myself off. No matter what I wore or how often I bathed there was an eternal thin coating of earth on my flesh and clothing.

"Long enough to want to go back to sleep." I still felt the shitty effects of the cot on my lower back and massaged it gently. "Where have you been?" I asked as an afterthought. Hope's face immediately darkened and her cheeks flushed as she looked to the ground. "Just hanging around with Deacon." I was attempted to give her a round of applause for her acting as she spoke. Though she sounded shy Hope was the most outgoing and assertive girl I ever knew. But I held back my display and scrunched up my nose. "Sounds fun." I said. In all honesty, I liked Deacon. It was kind of strange. I never liked anyone that Hope chose to date. They were all the same type of guy. The cocky, Alpha male types that got under my skin with all of their talk of superiority. Deacon was different. He was what some people would call an Oreo. A black person who was white on the inside. He was small, frail, and a complete nerd. Before the world ended he was a gaming geek who spent all of his time in front of game consoles and PCs battling in nonexistent realms against virtual monsters. He wasn't tough and he had no spine to him but Hope liked him for his personality and his sense of humor. She said the only other person that could make her laugh as easy as I did was him. I was happy she had him. But my problem with all of it was what they did behind closed doors. It was no secret.

When it came to matters such as this I was stuck with the parental view of it. I raised Hope for most of her life because our parents were too busy working to really pay any attention to us. So I took on the role of mother and father for her in their absence and no parent ever wants to know that their child is sexually active. Not ever. I wanted to remain ignorant of it but the hickey on her neck irked me like it was nobodies business. I found it to be somewhat insulting. He could refrain from making it so obvious with marks like that. Thinking about it made me want to plant a boot in his balls and crush them to dust.

"So what are you up to?" Hope asked while I smiled to myself trying to imagine the boot to balls situation. I turned my head to make eye contact with her. She was watching me like a hawk, her eyes scanning over me over and over. "Getting a team ready." I answered her and those big, golden brown hues snapped back up to my face and trouble brewed within. "Oh." She shifted her weight to her left leg and nibbled on her lower lip. A sure sign she was worried. "You're going out today?" Her question was hesitant and her anxiety was thick in the air. I could smell it from a mile away but I possessed a way to ease her fears. My over the top confidence and optimism. "Yeah. Things are getting hairy in the city. Gotta get what we can while its still available to us." I watched her eyes drop back to the floor and scan over my dusty footprints. "Oh.."

'God damn it.' I thought. I was going to have to put more effort into my act in order to make her feel better. "What is it?" I asked and plopped down on my cot to rest my lower back. I was going to be on my feet for a long time once we left so I had to rest while I could. Hope shrugged and sat down next to me, a heavy sigh rushing out of her lungs. "I don't know." She shook her head and then looked to me like I held all of the answers to any question she may have. I didn't but I'd let her believe it as long as it kept her going. "I heard some of the women talking about the population in the city and the explosion in Atlanta..." She shrugged again and kicked at some of the dust on the floor. "I'm just a little worried is all." She finally admitted.

It took a lot of my willpower not to smile. I spent all of my time protecting her and she still worried over me as if our roles as siblings were reversed and she were the elder. "No big deal. It'll be in and out like usual." I reached out and ruffled her shoulder length, light brown curls affectionately. "I'll be back before you know it." Hope squirmed away from my hand and I reached beneath the cot to grab the makeshift harness I'd made to carry my axe on my back. It was simple in design. Just a strap that secured around my shoulder and middle and the axe fit into the holster snugly against my spine. Over my other shoulder I secured my quiver packed with as many arrows as I could fit. I had thirty two shots.

While I fiddled with the straps Hope cleared her throat. "Will you take your guns?" She asked. I looked up to see her eyes glued to the desk across the room. I followed her gaze to see my two forty five caliber pistols laying on the filthy surface. My brow furrowed and I frowned. "Nah. You know me. I like my bow. Arrows are quieter than bullets." I stood and removed my bow from it's place on the wall and caressed the string affectionately. Hope was nodding when I glanced back to her. "I know..But could you take them just to be on the safe side?" She looked up at me through her thick dark lashes and I was given no choice but to comply with her wishes. "Please, Dezzy?"

I slumped my shoulders in defeat. 'Damn.' I thought. Hope really didn't like guns. In fact she downright hated firearms so for her to ask me to take mine along she must have really been worrying over me. "Alright." I conceded. "If it'll make you feel better." I avoided her gaze, moved over to the table, slipped my holster on around my hips, and equipped my guns. Then I turned to her and arched a brow. "Better?" I asked with a tilted head. From her place on the bed Hope looked me over with an approving expression. "You look like you're going to war." She giggled and I lifted one shoulder in indifference and let it drop again. "You never know. It might as well be a war between the living and undead." I said. It was us versus them and no matter how long or hard we fought we never seemed able to win.

"You'll be careful right?" There was the hesitance in her question again. I nodded. "Of course. I can't go off and die." I smirked and rested a hand on my hip. "If I did who would you bother all of the time?" I succeeded in making her smile and Hope nodded. It never took me long to help her understand. I would never act careless and be left behind in the city as one of the dead. Then I could never see her again. I wouldn't want to. I couldn't bear to think of a situation in which I was undead with Hope standing before me. I wouldn't be able to recognize her. It was bad enough thinking that she may not mean anything to me once turned. To think I could actually kill her, turn her, change her into something disgusting and greedy.

I fingered the smooth metal of the guns resting heavily on my hips. Wearing them I was given the sensation of being invincible. I could finally understand why so many people looked so confident while carrying a firearm. But it was a false sense of security. Guns could let you down just as easily as anything else. All it would take was one little fuck up and it could mean the end. It didn't matter how many weapons I had on me. Nothing would ever make me invincible. I switched over to slightly happier thoughts. "I've got more to worry about with you here than you do me. Deacon better know to keep his damn hands to himself while I'm gone." I warned. Hope groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Dez.." She grumbled but I shook my head. "You heard me." I used my big sister tone and Hope didn't look amused by it one bit.

"I'm eighteen now ya know." She said. 'The hell does that have to with anything?' I tapped my finger to my chin and shrugged. "Your point?" I asked. She didn't look happy with me and I couldn't help but smile at the sour expression on her face. "It doesn't matter how old you get. You'll always be my younger sister and my protective nature will never go away." I made my way back over to her and pinched her cheeks like I used to when we were little kids. Gods, how she hated it. "Isn't that right, PITA?"

She moved out of my reach and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah I get it." She grinned mischievously. "But you might want to talk to Deacon about the hands. I have no qualms with them." Hope giggled and I reached an arm behind me to tap the hilt of my axe thoughtfully. "Oh, you don't want me talking to him." my gaze narrowed and her eyes widened, her hands lifting in defense. "Never mind!" She exclaimed and I barked a laugh. "Then pass my message to your boyfriend. Go on. Get, young lady. I've got to finish getting ready and inspect the troops." I urged her towards the door.

Hope nodded and stopped at the door. "I'll see you later, okay? Come back uninfected, in one piece, and alive. Got it?" She waved and I gave her a thumbs up. "Love ya!" She exclaimed and headed off. I watched her back until she disappeared around the corner. Back to Deacon. "Love you too, kiddo." I mumbled. Then I turned, closed the door behind me, and sat down on my cot with my head in my hands. I was bothered by my nagging doubt in my own abilities. Nothing new. It bugged me non-stop day in and day out. I liked to put on a good show of confidence but really the mission ahead of me and the others was going to be hard. In Caleb's position I would have denied my request but I couldn't get cold feet now. I pushed it through and now I had to believe in the team, Caleb to see us through, and especially myself. I would keep my promise to hope and bring the entire team back without incident.

With my doubts quelled I stood, stretched, and took a deep breath. In an hour and a half I would be in the belly of the beast. In order to be on top of my game I would need some meditation and some food.

…  
>Daryl POV:<p>

"Goddammit!" I slammed my open palm against the steerin' wheel of my truck as it finally exhausted its last bit of fuel an' rolled to a stop. Dale's RV did the same in front of me an' I cursed again. "Shit." We all knew there wasn' no makin' it to Fort Benning on our low gas tanks but we got the fuck out of Atlanta. That's all that mattered to me at the momen'. There wasn' nothin' left there fer me. Merle, if he was still alive, would'a got out when he saw the CDC blown all to shit an' Al was dead. There was no way she survived the buildings destruction. I barely got out in time with the group through the only exit. Mute was gone. Now we were only a few minutes out of the city an' stuck in the middle of the road with no fuckin' gas, no food, an' nowhere to go. There was no possible way my day could get any worse.

With a huff of frustration I exited my truck and headed for the RV just like everyone else was doin'. Good ol' officer Rick probably had some brilliant plan for us all to gasp and get worked up over again. Just like the goddamn CDC. With the way things were goin' I could hear him now. Givin' us some cock an' bullshit speech 'bout how we could make it to Benning on foot. I watched the man disappear into the RV and scowled. In some ways I blamed him for Al's death. if it weren' for him we wouldn'a gone to the fuckin' CDC in the firs' place. We'd still be out in the wilderness. I didn' know if our chances would'a been better if we stayed there but Mute wouldn' be dead. I could've kept on keepin' her safe in that place. But things went down a bad road in the city. She wanted to help. To offer some kind of advice and ended up splittin' up from the group. When the rest of us were locked in with Jenner she was on the other side all alone with no idea where to go an' what to do. Blamin' Rick wouldn't make me feel better but it was all I could do.

Her last words remained in my shirt pocket an' as I entered the RV with the rest of the group I hooked a finger into the pocket an' stroked the charred piece of paper. Then I set my crossbow down next to the door and stuffed my hands into my armpits an' mentally braced myself. I had to prepare for the next stupid fuckin' plan. Lookin' round at the group piled into the vehicle in a cramped, uncomfortable manner I saw the moral drop lower an' lower with every second that Rick stayed silent. Why in the hell did we even listen to him? Because he was a cop? The hell did that matter anymore? An idiot with a badge was still an idiot. But I'd follow him until I had another option. I wasn' so stupid to think I could make it on my own. Havin' a few people watchin' my ass wasn' such a bad thing.

I decided to break the silence. "Didn't make it very far did we.." I grumbled with as much sarcasm as I could manage. Dale, standing in the walkway to the driver's seat, shook his head. "Not at all. But we knew we wouldn't." He said. Hell, it was a miracle we got as far as we did. Shane leered at me with his fucked up face, his fingers stroking the bite on his arm resting on the table with Andrea seated across from him. I threw a glare back his way an' he scowled an' dropped his gaze to the table like a good lil' bitch. "So what's our next move gonna be?" He cleared his throat and glanced around at the group. He avoided me all together this time an' stared at Rick expectantly.

The spotlight was on and I could make out the sweat beginning to form on Rick's brow which he wiped away with the back of his hand as everyones attention burned into the side of his face. He was staring at the ground but the pressure must have been too much for him because he finally buckled an' made eye contact with his friend. His gaze flickered from Shane to his wife to Carl an' back to Shane within seconds. "Um.." He shifted an' settled all of his weight onto his right foot. " I don't know. We've still got some gas in our car and we can siphon some fuel from the cars outside but I don't think it would help. We're blocked in here. How about you, Daryl? Any way you can back your truck out?" He asked. I shook my head an' gave Shane a reprieve from the hole I was burnin' into his face. That bastard would be gettin' the shit end of the stick if he so much as breathed in a way that I didn't approve of. I spit out the door and cleared my throat. "Nope. Runnin' on dirt. Only thing that;s got gas is my bike." Rick didn't look too happy with my statement and dropped his eyes to his feet.

"Well I guess we're just gonna have to use what we've got." Rick motioned to his legs and I smothered a smile with my hand as Glenn groaned from his spot leaning against the wall next to the bathroom. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He huffed. Poor lil' bastard thought the idea of walkin' was bad? For a pizza boy he sure as fuck enjoyed bein' lazy. "I'm with Glenn, here." Lori stood next to her husband with her arm around Carl who was watchin' his parents an' lookin' round like he was confused. I watched him tug on his mom's arm to get her attention but she wasn't bitin. Her attention was on her husband. "I don't think walking is a good idea. We don't have the supplies and we don't know how many walkers are out there." She gestured to the window an' Carl tugged on her arm again. Nothing.

"Well I don't see another option. Do you? We're stuck. there's no gettin' by those cars any time soon. The only thing that'll make it by is Daryl's motorcycle and that's not going to get all of us out of here." Rick's tone was an attempt at the firm husband one but it fell short. He ended up soundin' desperate an' frustrated. Once again Carl attempted to gain his mother's attention an' she tored her gaze away form Rick to huff in exasperation. "What?" She hissed with impatience. The kid should've been wounded with that kind of attitude but he shook his head as if it didn't matter. "Mom..Where's Mute?" He asked.

I could've cut the tension with a knife. The spotlight was no longer on Rick but on carl an' me. Pairs of eyes were everywhere peering at me. Waitin' for some kind of reaction. But I stayed quiet an' waited for Lori to come up with some way to tell her son that because she had to go an' be a bitch to someone who only wanted to help Mute separated herself from the group an' couldn't get out when the CDC was blown all to shit. But that's not what she told him. If she had carl might not have talked to her again for a while.

Lori an' Rick stared at one another with confusion passing between them as to what they could tell their child about his friend's death. My friend's death. The truth? No. Never that. That would be stupid. I rested my back against the wall and waited. The tension was thick an' no one dared breath too loud. Even me. What could I say? In this situation that I never thought I'd be in because I had it stuck in my head that Merle was the only person who I'd ever give a damn about I had nothing to share. Not my anger. Not my blame. Nothing. All I could do was sit and wait for the parents to tell their son the lie that would dismiss any blame from their shoulders.

"Um.." Lori was at a loss for words. Couldn't say I would be any more prepared to answer that kind of question. She kept lookin' to her husband for the answer but he stared back with equal confusion. "Well.." She crouched down to her sons level an' looked him in the eye. "Mute didn't make it out with the rest of us." She was hesitant with her words as if she were choosin' each one carefully as she went along. Like an unrehearsed speech.

Realization slowly crept into Carl's eyes and I watched him put together his mother's words one by one. His eyes darted back and forth on the wall behind Lori's head but he finally looked up at her again. "So she's dead?" He asked. My fists tightened against my sides. I wanted to fling my arms out and shout at the top of my lungs. "Yes! She's fuckin' dead! Gone! Blown to bits with the rest of the CDC and no one gives a damn but you an' me!" How obvious was it? Al wasn't a loss to anyone aside from Carl an' myself. Why would she be? She stayed away. She never got too close an' because of that she wouldn't be missed. Her memory wouldn't linger long in too many peoples minds. Maybe Shane but once his wounds healed he too would eventually forget the girl he tormented for no reason at all.

Rick stepped in at long last and he gave his boy's shoulder a firm squeeze. The international male symbol of 'stay strong.' "These things happen. People die. All we can do is hope they find peace. I'm sure she wouldn't want you to be sad." He said. The muscle beneath my left eye began to twitch as he tried to act like he knew anythin' at all 'bout Al. It pissed me off that any of these people could feign remorse for her. But I didn't voice my opinion. I had to keep a reign on my emotions for now. Losin' it wouldn't do me no good. If I did then I wouldn't be any better than some of the other people who snapped an' ended up dead. I was still in this game of survival and I'd make sure to take Mute's words to heart. "Just don't die." She'd said. I would remember those partin' words for a long time.

Carl was quiet as he mulled the news over. He was hurt that much was plain as day. There were tears already beginnin' to brim in his eyes an' I had to look away. He could cry for her. I couldn't. What kind of shit was that? If I was caught cryin' over Al I'd be looked at like I was soft. Daryl fuckin' Dixon wasn' allowed to be soft. So I'd let the kid cry for her enough for the both of us. He wiped at his eyes an' shook his head. "How do you know?" He asked with a sniffle. "That she's dead." He stared at his mother with defiance written all over his face. He didn't want to believe it. neither did I but he had a different mind set than I did. Lori was struck silent, a trait I wished she would inherit from my dead companion more often. "Maybe she got out another way and is still out there." Carl's lil' fists clenched at his sides an' he shook his head. "She said she'd stick around for me. I'm supposed to protect her." He said and the tears stopped. It was amazing how much honesty he spoke with. To be able to put all of his emotions out in the open like that. I wish I had that sort of freedom.

Lori an' Rick shared a look an' eventually the two accepted it. They would let the issue be an' move on like it wasn't a big deal. To them it wouldn't be but to me it would. I would be travelin' with this kid knowin' the truth while he would wait for the day Mute would come back. Oh, what a sad day it would be when reality set in an' he gave up the lie. "I'm sure you're right." Lori offered the kid a comfortin' smile but I saw somethin' else. Indifference.

It was quiet again after that. Like everyone was at a loss for words. It was a heavy moment but it was broken by the sharp knock of opportunity. "Um. I might have an idea." T-dog stood next to Andrea an' raised his hand cautiously to gain the attention of the group. Relief passed over each face an' the mood shifted to one of a serious manner again. We were back to plannin' our next move just like that. "Think you can make it to Edgewood?' I didn't realize he was talkin' to me till I looked over to see him lookin' right back. I frowned. "Edgewood?" I asked. I wasn't familiar with the place whatsoever.

"Yeah." T-dog nodded an' I raised my eyebrows at him. "Care to elaborate?" I asked. He nodded again an' crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not big. I wouldn't even call it a city. In fact it used to be a town. Population was about four thousand tops." He said an' I scoffed. "I didn't ask for the history." I felt like bein' a royal asshole today just because I could. But T-dog didn't lose his patience with me. He sighed an' didn't look away from me for a second. The right amount of eye contact could speak miles about a man. "I'm just tryin' to say it might be the safest choice from here. You can go and scope it out on your bike." He said an' I watched him gain confidence in his idea as he continued. "Its only thirteen or more minute from here. While you're gone the rest of us can gather what we can carry. Maybe get some supplies from the other cars." He finished an' I thought about it for a second. "Not a bad idea." I muttered.

If there was ever any risk involved in somethin' the group could do someone could always rely on Lori to step up an' point out the danger an' try to change our minds. She'd done it with Rick goin' back for Merle, Mute, and the CDC. "It's a graveyard out there." She said an' I was amazed that she was uncomfortable with that part of the plan. "I don't know how I feel about that." She shook her head but Andrea focused on the fine print. "Wait." She spoke up. "So you're saying that we walk to Edgewood? Walk? Really?" Her tone dripped sarcasm but I didn't see her comin' up with anythin' better.

T-dog shrugged her off. "Yeah. I mean if we keep to the woods and keep quiet we can make it there in an hour or less. If it's safe I don't see what the problem would be." He said. Dale cleared his throat with furrowed eyebrows. "The 'if' is the problem. There's no telling what could be waiting in that city or on the way there. Nothing is for certain anymore." The ol' man certainly liked payin' attention to details didn't he? T-dog stuffed his hands in his pockets. "At least I'm coming up with ideas." He muttered. I was more interested in figurin' out what we were doin' instead of pickin' everythin' apart like a naggin' wife. "How do you know about the place?" I asked. He eyed me for a moment, deciding what his next words would be then exhaled slowly. "My grandparents used to live there. I'd visit durin' the summers when I was a kid."  
>I didn't give a shit either way. As long as we moved from our current location in the middle of the fuckin' highway I would be content. Out here we were just waitin' to be picked off by a passin' hoard or another group of survivors prone to friendly fire. So I turned my attention to the fearless leader. The others followed him more often than not. "What do you think?" I asked, my mind made up already. I didn't wanna stick 'round an' was beginnin' to tap my foot with impatience.<p>

Rick one of his hands on his hips an' dragged the back of the other across his brow to wipe away the sweat beadin'. He didn't look comfortable with the idea but he was considerin' it. "You say it's thirteen minutes?" He asked. T-dog nodded. "Yeah. Give or take a minute." He said an' for a fuckin' minute I thought we were gettin' somewhere. Of course there had to be someone 'round that didn't agree. There was always someone tryin' to inject doubt into the minds of the decisive. This time it was Shane. He was still glarin' at me when he thought I wasn' payin' attention but he was doin' a good job of keepin' quiet so far. It was 'bout time he added his two cents on the matter.

" Didn't we agree that no one goes anywhere alone?" He asked. Rick sighed an' nodded. "Yeah we did." He agreed. I kept my mouth shut as we were slammed back to square one. Lori looked satisfied as she patted her son's shoulder. "Then it's settled." She said with an authoritative tone. Rick nodded along all while starin' at his feet. "Yeah. It's settled." He muttered. "I'll go with him.." The dead silence that followed his statement was an awkward one. It filled the RV an' had me gettin' anxious until Lori shook her head, her eyes wide an' disbelievin'. "Rick.." She took a deep breath an' let it out slowly like she was tryin' to keep a grip on her emotions. "No." She said. Her voice was low an' calm an' her gaze was steady. She meant business.

"Lori.." Rick turned slightly to face his wife an' I watched his jaw tighten an' slowly relax. He was ready to speak when she cut him off with a sharp shake of her head. "No. Why do you have to go?" She asked an' her cool composition flew out the window so fast it left my head spinnin'. Rick's patience thinned an' he looked around to everyone else in the cramped space like he was lookin' for backup.. "Anyone else want to go?" He asked. The answer was obvious as no one volunteered. No one wanted to take that kind of chance. I figured it would be better than staying put. we had to keep movin' but the possibility of dyin' kept most people rooted to the ground in terror. As if they'd be safe in the RV forever. 'Yeah, just as soon as pigs grow wings.' I thought.

Lori huffed an' threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Can you blame them? Any of us? It could be a death trap!" She exclaimed. I was gettin' more an' more uncomfortable with the situation as it went on. The others an' I had front row seats to the Grime's spousal unrest. Seein' the two of them starin' one another down with challenge blazin' in their eyes I stopped an' looked back at a time when Al an' I did the same. The night I fuckin' kissed her. What a mistake. How in the hell were women able to get on a man's nerves so easily? How did they get under our skin to the point that logic an' reasonin' were impossible?

"We only have one way to find out." Rick told his wife firmly. She didn't look ready to give up yet an' Rick was lookin' tired. I would be the same way if people kept picking apart my decisions one by one. Then again he deserved it. He led us to the CDC after all. Not his best move as a leader. Killin' your group has to be somethin' to avoid when in charge.

That's when the waterworks started. The one thin' that makes every man cringe. First a singular tear welled up an' slipped down her cheek. It made a path down to her chin an' dropped to the floor. Then a few more followed an' all our talk of a plan was as good as dead. It would be saved in a moment by an unfortunate incident but I don' know if I'd call it a bad thin'. It got us movin' at least an' no one got hurt. Things could be gettin' better for us but nothin' stayed good for long. It would catch up to us eventually. It always does.

"Um. I hate to interrupt this lover's spat." Dale, from his place in front of the window, backed slowly away until his back rested against the driver's seat. "But we've got to figure out what we're doing. Fast." His eyes were wide an' starin' at the window. No one gave a fuck 'bout what Lori an' Rick were sayin' at that moment because every eye caught sight of the group of walkers just outside an' wanderin' in our direction. My jaw clenched an' Glenn read my mind. "Holy shit!" He hissed an' backed up so suddenly he rattled the flimsy cabin. "We're trapped!" An' damn Rick for bein' able to do nothin' but stare in shock an' confusion. I could understan'. It was startin' to look like we couldn't get a break. Why in the hell did shit have to keep happenin' so rapidly? We had a few measly hours back in the CDC an' now what did we have? A big ass group of fuckin' walkers at our goddamn front door.

Lori grabbed Carl an' glued him to her side an' looked to her husband for direction. "Rick?" She called to him an' he snapped out of his trance. "We're not trapped." He shook his head an' his gaze steadied. "Not yet. They don't know we're here." He said. It was true enough. As of yet the undead had no idea we were right next to them. Not a single one was lookin' our way. But that would only be temporary jus' like everythin' else.

Shane ducked down enough to still be able to peek out every few moments. "What the hell do we do?" He whispered fiercely. Rick looked 'round at everyone an' began barkin' orders like a well trained dog. "Daryl, you get the door. Keep it closed no matter what. Everyone else get down." He said. I wasn' happy 'bout the job I'd volunteered myself for by standin' so close to the only entrance but I did anyways. Better than possibly dyin' if one of the others fucked up doin' it. Andrea an' Glenn crammed themselves beneath the table an' Shane ducked into the bathroom quicker than a field mouse into a hole. Everyone else just tried to stay as close to the floor as possible. Lori gripped Carl an Rick crouched down next to them an' for a minute or two there was nothin' but silence within the cabin. No one dared to breath too loud an' there were anxious, terrified glances bein' shared all 'round. Outside there was shufflin' an' moanin' an' I listened tryin' to keep track of their movements. It was too much. I couldn' handle not knowin' what was goin' on an' I waited for a moment an' then peeked out of the small window next to me. I snapped back so fast I nearly lost my balance. Just outside were five walkers. They were starin' at the RV an' it sounded like they were tryin' to sniff us out. Nasty fuckers looked intrigued.

I waved to get Rick's attention, held up five fingers, an' pointed to the window. He nodded to me an' I saw his grip tighten on his python secured at his hip. I'm surprised he didn't pull the trigger an' shoot himself in the leg when a walker began bangin' on the door. It made everyone jump an' Carol secured her hands over hers an' her daughter's mouths in order to muffle their wimperin'. I was ready to move. The RV was startin' to look more an' more like a cozy deathtrap so I raised my eyebrows at our fearless leader. "Should I do somethin'?" I whispered. There wasn' much I could do but maybe we could get lucky an' could clear ourselves a path for escape. But Rick shook his head an' held up a finger. The bangin' kept on an' for a moment ever thump from the walker's fist was in time with my heartbeat.

Five or ten minutes. That's how long it lasted though it felt like hours. A few more of the undead joined the first an' they all pushed an' shoved at the door but somehow we got lucky. One moment they were all tryin' to get in an' the next they were gone. Wandered off with the rest of the group in search of food. They just gave up. After five more minutes of complete silence I risked a peek outside again. There wasn't a single walker out there. 'Thank fuckin' god.' I finally let out the breath I was holdin' an' I gave the signal that the coast was clear.

"That was close." Glenn popped his head out from under the table, looked 'round, an' finally came out an' Andrea followed suit. Rick patted Carl's head an' stood up. "A little too close." He said an' one by one the rest of the group got back on their feet. Even Shane who I'd hoped would stay put in that bathroom while the rest of us left. T-dog shook his head an' wrung his hands together. "Close enough to consider Edgewood?" He asked. Lori was shakin' her head the second he spoke but Rick nodded. "Yeah. I'm not riskin' stayin' out in the open like this. We're sittin' ducks." He looked directly at his wife an' he lowered his voice. "We got lucky."

"So..?" Andrea raised her eyebrows in question an' Rick made it official. "We're going." He said an' my hopes raised a bit but it still meant I was riskin' my neck for this group again. I shrugged. "I don' give a damn either way. But I ain't ridin' bitch."

…

In my life there's one sensation I've come to know very well. The same sensation that inspires fear, anxiety, and panic within the cowardly and the pathetic. I'm not saying I'm neither of these. In fact I may be the biggest coward I know but this sensation and I go so far back together that it eventually became a friend of sorts.

Pain. I was in a lot of it. With only seconds remaining on the clock I did something so stupid that looking back on it made me cringe and shake my head at my own idiocy. I thought I was trapped so I did the one thing that I could think of. It was corny, overused, and I thought for a while that it could never work. Every building has air vents and they all have to lead somewhere. I could have made a wrong turn and fucked myself. I could have given up and just curled into a ball waiting for the inevitable. I've never been the luckiest person on the planet but luck is all I can really thank for my escape. I was bruised, broken, sliced, and a little burned but I was alive god damn it.

Back in the CDC I kicked out the vent and took in a breath of fresh air. I had my bag tight in my grip and was ready to make the drop outside at my guess of five seconds. I leaped out, landed on my bad leg, rolled, and hauled ass away from the building. Even with agony ever present I made good distance. Unfortunately I hadn't been fast enough. When the building blew I was thrown from the premises like a rag doll. The blast knocked me out and I was as good as dead. But even with all the odds piled against me I survived. I was alive. A little worse for wear but I could still draw breath into my battered, burned lungs.

All of this had to mean something right? I could have died but for some reason I was still limping around on this earth despite everything. Not that there was any chance of me surviving much longer. Sure I was relieved to be in one piece when I woke up beneath the rubble of the CDC. It was night and the air was still thick with smoke and settling dust. My eyes took minutes to adjust and my brain felt like every thought was being trudged through molasses. My body ached beneath gravity's hold on me and fear of paralysis flickered back and forth behind my eyelids every time I tried to blink the dirt from my irate eyes.I began testing my limbs one by one starting with my fingers. I dug them into the dirt and felt the gritty texture ooze between my digits. Then I bent my elbows and pushed myself up as far as I could before rolling onto my side. Dirt, glass, plaster, and dried blood scraped at the gash on my arm and though it stung something awful I took it all in because as long as I could still feel it I would have motivation to move. To escape it.

Lying there in the silent of the night I pushed whatever was covering me off with shaking arms to stare up at the sky. I needed something to focus on. I opened my eyes again and there it was. It wasn't big and bright like some night that I could recall in my fuzzy memory but the small silver sliver of the moon, partially hidden by clouds, was there and its presence was enough. Enough to put myself into some state of mind in which I wasn't completely vulnerable even if I couldn't claim any sort of sanity. In fact upon seeing the moon my dry, cracked lips split into a grin. So many good people who had much more right to live than I were dead yet there I was with my heart beating and my lungs sucking in precious air like it was gold.

'Al. What do you think you're doing?' My grin widened as a voice echoed somewhere in the back of my mind. I couldn't put a face to it nor a name or gender. It sounded like both. Deep and harsh yet soft and warm. Two tones mixing and melding into a fucked up echo that made me want to shove a finger into my ear and clear it out.

My arm was bloodied and busted up, my leg sustained enough damage to ensure that I wouldn't be walking right for a few months and it looked...Er..Sounded like I'd hit my head enough to have me hearing shit but not enough to knock a few memories out of place? What kind of ripoff was that? I chuckled at the voices tone. It expected me to respond? Why? It was obvious what I was doing. I was taking a moment to pull myself together. Couldn't I take a small break? 'I think I deserve it.'

'So you're just going to lay there? You slept long enough. Get your lazy ass up! I'm not dying here because you're too big of a pussy to get back on your feet. Move it, bitch!' I cringed at the harsh tone and closed my eyes again slowly with a small shake of my head. The voice was so demanding. It could hold on a damn minute. "Give me a second.." I mumbled into the air with a lick of my lips. I could feel cuts all over them and every time I swallowed there was a heavy taste of copper sliding down with every mouthful of saliva.

'Shit..' There came a sigh. 'Fine. You've got five minutes, dumbshit.' The voice mumbled and then there was silence. Sweet silence that I welcomed with open arms. It didn't last long because from between my lips bubbled up something unexpected. I rolled just in time and began spewing stomach acid onto the ground beneath me. Acid and something dark, shiny, and somewhat sweet. Blood. It splattered onto my hands and coated my fingers still clutching at the dirt. Once. Twice. A third time and my insides were on fire. It probably had something to do with whatever sharp object was lodged into my side. I couldn't make it out but it was metallic and short. Both ends protruded from my flesh like some twisted, extreme piercing. My stomach churned and protested and as I lifted my hand to inspect it I couldn't help what rumbled up from my chest and spewed out next. Laughter. It started out quiet and dry and progressed to maniacal howling until I was laying flat on my back and cackling at the moon like a lunatic.

'The fuck are you giggling about?' The voice was back and questioning me about something I didn't know. I would have loved to tell it that I didn't know but I couldn't stop. Every time I opened my mouth all that escaped was another fit of laughter. Another sigh echoed and I could tell the voice was growing frustrated with me. Oh well. Not like it could physically do anything to stop me. It was just a figment of my imagination and I didn't answer to it. 'Oh, god damn it..You've lost your fucking marbles haven't you?' What a question. I couldn't lose what was already lost could I? 'This bitch is nuts..' I tried to nod but instead I laughed again.

What a sight I must have been. A crippled, broken girl laughing at the sky while danger and potential death lurked around every corner. It was strange. All my life I was looking for peace of mind and where did I find it? In the ruins of a building all alone in a city ruled by the dead. 'What a strange sight indeed..'

…

**HaHA! Yeah..Okay I KNOW! Al's gone off the deep end! HA! That may have been a terrible place for me to leave off but you know how I like to torture you all with my unbearable cliffhangers. Its what I do and you love me for it so just admit it. I can't wait to see how this chapter is responded to and I'll be checking my e-mail everyday with anticipation for hate mail, criticism, and obscenities. Why? because I'm always expecting the worst! XD In the next chapter I'm going to pull out some of the plugs, drop a few bombs, kill some people, and leave you all scratching your heads in confusion so look forward to that because I am! XD Tell me what you think and before you know it I'll be back with another chapter! Much love until then! **

-MeRci.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**: I know its been forever and a day since I've updated and honestly I've been piecing this one chapter together since I finished chapter two waaayy back. I was just too lazy to sit down and actually write anything which I ended up doing all night tonight XD. I'm sure some of you are furious with me for taking so long and some others may just be happy to have something new from me pop into their inbox but either way I hope you can forgive me and just enjoy the new chapter. Mute's talking to herself, Rick and Daryl get into a tight spot, and random termite infestation really can put a group of people in a hell of a pickle. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read on and find out =D

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking Dead...Duh..

**Acknowledgements**: I don't have any separate acknowledgments but I do have to give credit to those of you who've stuck around waiting for me to update. It means more than you know.

**...**

Breakfast around the warehouse wasn't what anyone could call extravagant. Running low on food there were never any large meals. We had to be happy with what we got and most of the time that meant being happy with canned beans or other preserved food. Soup was usually on the menu for dinner and even though Chelsea was a great cook even she couldn't make soup and beans work every night and day. She put in a hell of an effort though. Her culinary skills she acquired mostly in thanks to her mother. The one time Chelsea opened up to the rest of the group about her parents she informed us that her mother used to feed the homeless. It was sick irony that she was eaten alive by the same group she fed on a daily basis. I guess one could say she died doing what she loved.

After a half an hour of meditation I exited my room and headed for the line of desks placed in one corner of the warehouse that served as our dining table. Meditation , for me, never consisted of sitting with my legs crossed making that weird 'oooom sound'. Instead I cleaned my guns, paced, or kicked dirt around while I cleared my mind. I sorted through all of the worst possibilities and outcomes, tried to come up with ways to keep them from happening, and eventually I put myself at ease. Did I honestly believe that I could prevent disaster? Hell no but running through every single gory situation would prevent me from being shocked when shit really did happen. In my final moments I could say to myself I fucking knew it. and that would serve as my disturbing closure.

Breakfast consisted of biscuits, powdered eggs, and grits. Not the most appealing lump of food I d want churning in my intestines with walkers in the vicinity but it would serve its purpose in keeping my strength. Even if the sight of it made my nose crinkle in distaste I would shovel it down and try to fool myself into tasting bacon, sausage, pancakes, and real eggs served sunny side up. It never worked in the sense that I wanted but it gave me something to think about instead of the stale, gritty taste. Chelsea could add all the seasoning she wanted to but shit is shit even with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

Chelsea offered me a paper plate full of discolored food and I took it with a mumbled thanks and sat my sore ass down in the last seat on the left side. She offered me a sympathetic smile as I took my fork in hand and shifted her weight. "I know it doesn't look appetizing but its got plenty of protein." She said. I nodded and poked at the biscuit with the tip of my fork. It made a hollow sound and I tried not to frown at it. "Sorry about that.." Chelsea muttered and I felt guilty for making her feel bad. "Nothing to be sorry about." I smirked and scooped up a fork full of the jiggly, dry eggs. "Looks great". I forced a smile, shoveled it down, willed myself not to vomit, and gave her a thumbs up. "It s good." I assured her. Keeping the moral of everyone up was harder in some cases than others but it seemed to work and Chelsea bounced away to fix more plates as my team began to show up one by one.

Kirk was the first to saunter up to the table sporting his two 9mms and his twelve gauge shotgun and he took the seat next to me and eyed my plate with the same distaste as I had. "That looks deadly.." He grumbled but I elbowed him in the side as Chelsea set his plate down in front of him. Kirk s face turned a slight shade of green and I cleared my throat to gain our chefs attention to spare her feelings. "Do we have any coffee left?" I asked. Chelsea shook her head. "Not the good stuff but we have some of the instant packages left if you want me to make you a cup". She offered. _Damn_.. The instant coffee came from some boxes of dried foods we found in the back of an army supply truck just before the napalm strike on the city. It tasted like weak coffee filtered through old, dirty socks but if I was going to be avoiding hoards of the undead I was going to need caffeine in my system. I nodded. "Sure that sounds great. Thanks."

"Oh dear god are we supposed to eat that?" I turned my head as Cody and Brandon came up and tried not to laugh at the horrified look on Cody's face at the sight of his breakfast waiting for him. Even the steam coming off of the plate was discolored. "Yup. Just like mama used to make it." Kirk laughed and smacked his hand on the edge of the table as he got a good look at Brandon sporting a baseball bat and a magnum equipped with a silencer. He looked ridiculous in my eyes too. "Well look at you, blondie! All suited up and ready to go. Do you even know how to use that?" Kirk hooted and pointed to the magnum fitted snugly against Brandon's hip. Cody chuckled along with him as he took the seat opposite me armed with an old machete and a crowbar. "Oh, shut up." Brandon mumbled and plopped down next to Cody.

Chelsea set my cup of coffee down in front of me and headed off while the rest of us tried to eat as much as we could. Once I got used to the taste and the odd texture I was able to scarf down everything as long as I didn't focus too much on what I was putting in my mouth. Conversation was impossible after a minute and we ate in silence with glances tossed all around. I sipped on my coffee after pushing my empty plate aside and watched Cody shovel food into his mouth like a starving man until he noticed me staring and arched an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked and I shook my head quickly. "Nothing. Just thinking." I mumbled into my cup. I could make out a couple coffee grains floating around in the murky brew and focused on them. "About what?" Kirk asked, nosy as usual. Leaving a statement open or a question with him around was practically like begging him to step in and pry. In some of these instances I would let it drop but I could share what was on my mind this time. "It s Caleb." I sighed and from opposite me came a scoff. Cody rolled his eyes and set his chin in his hand. "Oh yeah? What about him? He can t satisfy you?" He asked. I ignored his smartass comment and continued talking to Kirk as if Cody didn't even exist.

"I think he's going off the deep end." I said. Kirk set his fork down and folded his hands on the table in front of him. "What makes you say that?" He asked. I motioned in the direction of the office our leader confined himself to day in and day out. "He hasn't left that room in days. Looks like he hasn't been sleeping either." I was worried. Who could blame me? We all counted on Caleb and if he snapped it could put all of our lives in danger. "Have you said anything to Vince?" Kirk asked. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "What would I say? 'Oh, hey Vince. Could you give me some advice real quick? I think Caleb's off his rocker.' Yeah I m sure that would go over real well." My shoulders slumped and I stretched my legs out as far as I could. When my foot brushed Cody's leg he took it as an invitation to play footsie and I kicked him in the shin to get the point across that I was just stretching.

"Well.. "Kirk Shrugged. "He'd probably tell you not to worry about it. You know better than anyone how Caleb gets. He s a workaholic. I'm sure he's fine." There was an air of carefree indifference in his tone that I found unnerving considering the topic but there was a chance he was right. I had a knack for worrying about nothing. Maybe Caleb was just experiencing a small breakdown and would get through it in no time on his own. Kirk vocalized my exact thoughts. "Just give him some time, Dez." He clapped a big hand on my shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. I tapped my fingers against the warm cup in my hands and nodded. "M'kay." I nodded and didn't comment on it any further. Brandon, however, cleared his throat and pushed his plate aside. "If you ask me Caleb's been off his rocker from the start." He said. True as that statement was I felt the need to stick up for the man who took my sister and I in when we were at the end of our rope. "Well.." I finished off my coffee in one revolting gulp. "In times like these sanity is getting harder to come by."

...

_Can't you move any faster? Jesus H. Christ you're moving at a snails pace_. For the last two hours the voice in my head wouldn't shut the fuck up and let me think for myself. Every few minutes it had something new to say and it was never anything positive. Insults, criticism, sarcasm, and harsh demands were getting on my last raw nerve. After I calmed down from my laughing fit my thoughts started turning to walkers. The explosion of the CDC was bound to attract attention and laying in the rubble was the equivalent of ringing the dinner bell and kissing my pale ass goodbye. I'd be damned if I died like that after surviving this long.

First I had to pull the metal shard out of my side. I think that was the luckiest I've ever been. The fact that it missed all of my vulnerable organs was a hair short of a miracle. But I couldn't leave it in. That was out of the question and even with that damn voice barking commands at me every step of the way I gripped it with both hands and pulled. Excruciating is the only word to describe the experience as inch by painful inch I removed the blood soaked shard. Blood pooled out around the wound and collected beside me but after five or more minutes of pulling it slipped free and I nearly collapsed in relief. I had no time to waste. I remembered an old documentary I watched back in my days of high school about sharks and I learned that they could smell a single drop of blood from miles away. I didn't want to take any bets on whether or not walkers had somewhat of the same ability and quickly scrambled for my bag which was all but destroyed and laying open some feet away.

With a trail of blood dripping behind me I crawled over to it and scooped up the first piece of fabric I spotted. It was the shirt I was wearing the first time I met Daryl and even though I wanted to stop and wonder where he and the others were and if they were alive or not I secured the shirt around my middle to bind the wound and slow the bleeding. A long string of furiously whispered curses later and I was shoving as much as I could back into my bag. My notebooks were torn, burnt, and the pages were scattered but I salvaged enough to feel satisfied. As long as I had them I could keep what little sanity lingered within. Isaac's teddy bear was partially destroyed and my clothing was pretty fucked up but I shoved it all inside and slung the strap over my shoulder with that damn voice still going on and on about how I needed to move. Like I didn't know that already. "Shut up!" I hissed into the open air._ No YOU shut up and get that ass moving!_ It barked back. I just wanted it to shut the hell up and let me have my mind to myself. I couldn't even hear myself think for fucks sake.

After that I started limping my ass out of there. I had to get out of Atlanta. Where was I going? I had no clue but I picked the direction that Daryl and the others were most likely to go, if they were alive, and headed off before things could take a turn for the worse. My situation was bad enough already. I didn't need to wait around for the undead to arrive fashionably late to the party.

That was hours ago and between stopping every couple of minutes to take a breather, the voice, and trying to stay out of sight of anything that may be looking for something to eat I was nearing the point of exhaustion. It was a damn shame I couldn't give up and bleed out where I was. Every time I tried my legs wouldn't cooperate and I'd keep going like I was on some sort of autopilot._ That s right. One foot in front of the other. Good girl. Do you want a cookie?_ The voice antagonized. "Could you refrain from mentioning food. It s not really helping." My stomach growled in defense to back up my words and the voice snickered. _I'm sure it's not. That's why you've got to keep moving. There's got to be civilization somewhere and that means food._ It hummed the last word in a singsong tone and I sighed. Outside of Atlanta I was making my way through the woods. I knew there was a highway I could take that would be littered with cars to scavenge from but every time I thought about heading in that direction I was reminded that there might be PEPLOCs out there waiting. I was happy enough with having not seen a single walker in the woods. No need to push my luck.

_If you just had the balls to check out the highway you d probably find something to eat or are you trying to die of dehydration and starvation?_ I stopped and took a deep, shaky breath. I was frustrated and tempted to start tearing my hair out at the roots. The large stick I d picked up to help me walk dug into the ground and my grip tightened around it. "Do you ever shut up?" I mumbled in agitation. The voice chuckled and even though I couldn't place a face to it I could imagine a smirk._ I'm just trying to give you some advice. You should listen to me because I've got your best interests in mind._ The smug tone made me want to punch myself in the face in hopes of causing it some more pain. "Oh yeah?" I huffed. "And why's that?" I asked.

_Because, retard. If you die then so do I._ Now there was an idea. "Suddenly death doesn't sound like such an appalling idea.." I grumbled and my gaze wandered to my right. I could almost make out the road through the trees from my location. I was so hungry I felt like I was going to be sick and I needed food. I wouldn't survive if I kept pushing myself while running on fumes especially after losing so much blood.

_Just go scope it out. If you see any walkers back away and keep going until the coast is clear. What do you have to lose?_ I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I mulled the idea over. My stomach gnawed at itself and growled at me in impatience and I sighed again. The voice was right. I would die if I didn't eat something soon. I had no other choice. "Fine.." I murmured and started towards the highway. The closer I got the quieter I was until I was lowering my walking stick to the ground with gentle care and avoiding anything that may make too much sound underfoot.

It wasn't a long trek and I stopped just before the treeline choosing a rather thick trunk to conceal myself while I peeked out. There were cars lined up as far as the eye could see. Inside each one I could see luggage and personal items from the panicked families trying to escape a fate worse than death. Some of the windows had blood smeared across them in hand prints of all sizes including tiny ones belonging to toddlers and small children. The doors were open in most cases with blood coating handles and drag marks leading in all directions. It was a graveyard but there wasn't a single walker from what I could see. But I wasn't one to simple rely on what I could see alone. If anything I was a gut instinct type of person and even though my guts felt like they were ready to drop to the dirt at my feet they didn't seem to have much of a problem with the circumstances. That was my biggest cue to go for it. Of course that was easier said than done and it would take a moment of mental preparation to settle my nerves before I could do anything.

_Oh come on! Are you just going to stand here all day and wait for a walker to show up just so you can back away slowly like a coward?_ I let loose an unsteady breath as the voice in my head barked at me like a ferocious dog. It was annoying but at the same time it had a point. I had to move or miss my chance at getting some food in my quivering belly. So I swallowed the lump in my throat and stepped out into the open on shaky legs.

My eyes darted in every direction a hundred times over before I even took my third step. I urged my ears to listen close to every little thing but the loudest sound was the pounding of my blood through my veins rapidly. Plus my imagination wasn't doing me any good because it kept throwing out all of the worst scenarios that it could come up with. Talk about a mental roadblock._ Just peek into the car right in front of you._ I licked my dry lips, nodded, and locked onto the car parked a little more than eight feet from me. It was a moss colored minivan with the driver and passenger doors flung wide open. Upon closer examination I found the driver's hand still attached to the door handle. Poor bastard must have been holding on for dear life trying to close the damn door and keep the living dead out. Prime example of a lost cause.

Stick held tight in my fist I poked my head in to look around and I could have cried. Sitting in the center console was a bottle of water half full. _There's some optimism for you. You think of it as half full instead of half empty._ More sarcasm from my tormentor but I didn't care. I reached in and snatched the bottle up, removed the cap, and began to guzzle. I made sure not to touch it to my lips in case the person who'd drank from it before me had been infected and prayed the water wasn't contaminated. But with all of the shit on my mind I found relief and refreshment in the warm, stale liquid as I drained it. I relaxed against the side of the van as I lowered the empty bottle to my side and took a moment to collect myself. I was one step closer to surviving this shitty fucking day. _Good girl. Now check for food._

I did as the voice commanded and dropped the bottle to open the sliding door and reveal the bloody mess that had once been the back seat. My stomach nearly dropped to the ground and I placed my hand over my mouth in order to keep the water down. In the back seat there were two bloody, shredded, empty car seats. Beside one of the seats and laying on the floor were two bottles. One might have been pink and the other blue but the amount of grime and blood covering them made it hard to tell._ Jesus tit-fucking christ.._I jerked back and slammed the door closed before stumbling back from the gruesome scene. Horrified was an understatement and disgusted didn't even come close to what I was feeling. I'd seen a lot of death and carnage since the beginning of the end of the world but no matter how desensitized I was to the gore I was forced to witness I would never get over the gut wrenching agony I felt whenever it involved a child. The reason? _Noah.._ For the first time since its arrival the voice sounded compassionate.

I took a deep breath and shook my head to clear it. I couldn't think about that now. It would only slow me down or even stop me completely if I let it. It was in times like these I had to do something that would help me survive but once it was behind me I would think back on it and feel like utter shit. I had to abandon the side of me that was human and let the animal instincts kick in. It was the only option I had left. I couldn't sit and wait to be caught off guard. If I wasn't careful that was exactly what would happen. _Check the next one._

The voice was quiet but still as demanding as ever and I obeyed and shuffled around the hood to the next lane where a sport car of some foreign design sat. Even through the heavily tinted windows I could make out a form seated in the driver's seat. I stopped and eyed the vehicle with due suspicion but the form inside didn't move a muscle. If it was a walker it would have spotted me by now and would be clawing at the window trying to escape and take chase to its wounded prey. That didn't stop me from gripping my stick tighter and moving forward with caution. Nothing was certain anymore. I had to watch my back at all times.

The smart idea would have been to check the front seat first to see if the person behind the wheel was dead or not but that was all about perspective. I skipped that and headed for the trunk which wasn't closed all the way. It was being held to the back bumped with rope to keep the content of the driver's life from falling out. I ducked down to look inside but there was nothing of use to me. Just a bunch of suitcases and bags of what appeared to be clothing. I looked down on my own digs for a moment but the nagging bum in my head stopped me before I could even form my idea. _Don t even think about it. There s no such thing as fashion anymore. You'd just be wasting time._ It snapped and all thoughts of changing into a clean set of clothes disappeared. I just didn't want to be running around in bloody clothing anymore.

I searched car after car for a couple of yards with nothing until I finally found an open box of cereal, a loaf of molding wheat bread, and another bottle of water in a truck that had been knocked off to the side by an SUV. It was a pretty bad wreck and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it had killed the drivers. It wasn't much but it was all that I could find that hadn't gone bad or stale so I took it as a victory and took my prize back into the woods, found a tree to lean against and began to feast. I had to pick off the mold from the bread but I salvaged a good bit of it and combined with the cereal and the water my stomach was bloated and satisfied by the time I d gulped down the last bit of water.

_Feel better don't ya?_ I tossed the bottle aside and rolled my eyes at the stupid question. Of course I felt somewhat better. I was no longer dying of starvation and dehydration. _See what happens when you grow some balls, girly? You should try that method more often in other aspects of your life._ I could be a coward sometimes._ Or all of the time._ I was corrected and I got tired of resting. The less I had to keep myself occupied with the more my new companion would ramble on about shit I didn't want to hear._ Oh wow. You're doing something without me telling you to. Good job!_ "Shut up.." I grumbled, took my walking stick back up, and looked at the long expanse of trees before me. It looked like it was going to be one hell of a walk.

If there is one thing I've learned from my experience with populated areas it would have to be to avoid all of the trouble and go around. But then there was that pesky wound in my side and a major need for some medical attention that made the buildings in the distance appealing. I stood at the treeline and stared at the outskirts of the small, silent city. The Georgia sun beat down on me and my clothing clung to my body with sweat and various other filthy layers. I'd be picking the small chunks of gravel out of my scalp for days. How much can one person take? How much before they simply can't go on any longer? I had a feeling that answer lay within the city and everything in me told me to move on and find some place else. I wouldn't make it much farther and my options were extremely limited but my feet rooted themselves while I warred within myself.

_Look at it this way; If you go in there you MIGHT die. If you don't you WILL die. Simple enough for you?_ I gripped my stick tightly in my fist and nibbled on the dead skin of my lips. There was a sensation of unease brewing in my gut but I took a deep breath and went about finding a way in that was clear of danger.

...

The ride into the city wasn' exactly what I expected with deputy chatterbox holding onto me a little too tight for my likin' . Plus the ride was bumpy as fuck because the path I chose was off road. Weavin' in between cars wasn't the best idea with so much traffic an wreckage. Lori was right, it was a graveyard all around us with blood, body parts, drag marks, and enough devastation to have me lookin' straight ahead the whole ride.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" I rolled my eyes at the question comin' from the good cop and shifted my weight. "I think you need to loosen up on me, cowboy." I removed his hands from my waist. "This is startin' to feel a little gay." Rick was quick to grab my shoulders and I could tolerate it for a little while. It wasn't too much further up the road.

"Sorry. Its been a while since I've been on a motorcycle. I forgot how jarring it is." Rick had to yell over the roar of the bike as we came to the outskirts of the city. I slowed down and shook my head. "Don't think about the journey focus on the destination. There's no tellin' what we're gettin' into." Just a friendly reminder to keep his head in the right place.

Rick relaxed when I brought the bike to a stop and his hands dropped into his lap. "I'd rather not just yet to tell you the truth." He appeared the broken man when I cut the engine and turned to face him. "So?" He lifted his eyebrows and I shrugged "To tell YOU the truth? I don't know." I snapped.

"I'm sorry." It came out of nowhere. His eyes fell to his hands in his lap and even though some part of me thought_ Damn straight you are_ but curiosity had me asking "For what?" And damn if he didn't throw me off by trying to take some responsibility. Carl must have really struck a chord in his pops earlier. "The mute girl. I know you two were close."

I was just about done talkin'. "Not exactly. She wasn' close to anyone." literally. I stood up and removed myself from the bike and motioned for Rick to do the same. "But you blame me for her death." He didn't move from the seat and stared at me waiting for an answer even if it went without sayin'. In some ways Rick was responsible for Al's death because he led us all to the CDC. In some ways it was mine because I wasn't there to stop her from makin' a stupid decision but he went even further with it which was an unpleasant surprise.

"And for what happened with Merle." His eyes fixated themselves on the ground. "Nope. That was a team effort." I scowled and finally Rick stood up "That's twice you've suffered lose because of my choices.." He mumbled while I walked off. I rolled the bike off to the side and let it rest against a tree. Wherever there's a graveyard there are also grave robbers. I made sure my bike was well hidden before I left it anywhere. When I met back up with Rick on the side of the road he was staring at a five car pile up with blood and oil stainin' the ground all round it.

_Can't have him feelin' sorry for himself right now_. Later he could drown himself in whiskey and woe but for now I needed someone capable of watchin' my back. He barely managed to look me in the eye when I approached him and I guess he must have been expectin' a different response than "In your shoes I can t say I woulda done any different." Because his jaw clenched and his chest inflated with a deep breath which he let out slowly "Really?"_ No._ "Sure" I pocketed the keys and I motioned towards our destination. "C'mon." He nodded and we started off at a brisk jog. Every now and again I'd glance over to make sure Rick was stayin focused but by the time we reached the first building I didn't have to worry about it anymore.

It was a gas station we tucked ourselves beside while we caught our breath and Rick headed around the side to get a scope of the back while I took a look at the front and the street. Not a damn thing moved aside from the trash litterin' the streets. Rick was next to me again moments later. "Nothing" He said and I nodded. "Alright. Lets see if we can get up high and have a look around. We're gonna need a ladder or somethin'."

We remained cautious while moving around the front of the store. I tried to see inside but the windows were smothered with advertisements so I wasn't all that keen on rushin' in. Still it beat standing outside waitin' for a horde to pop up.

The inside was a disaster and trash crunched beneath our shoes as Rick and I slipped in. I was on alert for walkers but it was just Rick and I in that store. As a team we swept through each area deeming them safe one by one. Once we were assured we were alone I went about finding a ladder which didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. There was one in the maintenance closet just tall enough to do the job I needed. _Convenient._

Rick and I hurried out the back, climbed the ladder, and pulled it up after us to make sure we didn't get any unexpected company dropping in on us. "Ya think anyone here is still alive?" Rick asked as I wandered to the side to inspect the building next door, just a repair shop but it was taller and tossed my crossbow up onto the edge and I pulled myself up with a grunt. "Probably not."

"Why is that?" Sheriff dogooder shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand and stared up at me while I wiped the sweat from my brow. "Ya know. Small town probably spread the infection around really quick and.." I brushed my knees off and took a look out into the distance and I trailed off when I became distracted by movement. "Holy damn..Gimme the binoculars." I leaned down and snatched them from around Rick's neck in a hurry.

"What is it?" I took a good look and tossed the binoculars back down to Rick and shook my head. Not even two blocks away was a mass of walkers wandering the street. I hopped back down and squatted to plan my next move. "Walkers." Rick looked just about as surprised as I felt. I was really startin' to believe that there really were no more safe areas left.

"How many?" Rick asked. I shrugged and tried my best to take a guess. "A dozen or more." He stared off at something behind me for a moment, his jaw clenching and his wheels turning. "Can we get around em?" He still didn't look at me and I paused for a minute before answering him. "Probably. If we cross the street, duck into the alley, and head in the other direction." I traced the path in the air as I said it and stood up. Rick thought on it and I was patient with him, enjoyin' the rest and the shade. "Let's go."

...

My team and I took to the fields in a swift jog. Leaving the warehouse we all had our well wishers just like there always were. Hope, after hugging me goodbye, had watched me leave and I could guarantee she d barely move from the doors until I got back.

All of us exchanged fleeting glances as our empty duffel bags bounced in our arms. Each person had their own items in which they were responsible for retrieving. It was a pretty good system when broken down. One or two people would go into their specific destinations and the others would be on guard and nine out of ten times it got everyone out without incident. I was told about a couple of exceptions back when runs were first being made but since Hope and I were brought in I hadn't seen anyone die. I would be extremely grateful if I never did again. The sick truth of it all, though, was that everyone who'd made a habit of doing all the dirty work found some enjoyment when we had the opportunity to put the dead back down.

Running towards the outskirts of the small city I let my mind wander to a different time. Back when everything was happening so fast and I had no idea what I was doing. _Yeah right. I still barely know what I m doing._ My survival thus far with Hope was mostly luck and instinct. It was somewhat discomforting when I looked back on a few of my decisions and attempted to imagine what might have happened to us if I'd chosen a different path.

We moved in silence, the only communication between anyone was a knowing glance or a nervous look around for support. We feared death just like anyone else but we didn't let it get in the way of much. I could claim to be desensitized to the gore but there's always been that part of me that felt sorry for the people they used to be. Some of the stories I d been hearing around the warehouse were too much. The loss cut deeper in some more than others.

At the very first building we all scattered to scope things out and met back five minutes later. I crouched and held the walky to my face. I confirmed we arrived safely and gave Caleb our location knowing back in his office he'd be hovering over the map like a worried mother constantly running his fingers through his chestnut locks out of nervous habit. He gave us our directions and we were on the move a moment later.

We found our way safely to the heart of the city which wasn't really much to brag about. We ducked, dove, and sprinted when we spotted a walker or two staying out of sight and off the menu. Upon arriving to our destination, a street lined with enough buildings for maximum cover, Ruki took to the roofs reminding me of a monkey when he scaled the fence on the side, jumped to grab the roof, and swung himself up over the edge. _Quick little bastard.._ He disappeared from sight and I lifted the walky. "Fancy moves. what do you see?" There was a pause and then Ruki s voice crackled at me "Hmm..Well there s a straight path across the street. Sorry, no shortcuts without risk.." I peeked around the wall to get my bearings. Across from this building was an empty lot that was overgrowing with weeds even before the world went to shit. To the right of that was an insurance company then some yards from that was a convenience store. I narrowed my eyes at it in distrust. Someone would probably request we stop in there to look around.  
>"Two streets over there's a home supply store and about...I say..A couple dozen walkers..?" He didn't sound too confident in his estimation. "Ruki...How about a little more effort into your guess?" I waited and the length of silence made me feel better about his answer when I got it. "Fifty or more." I let that piece of information process and sink in. <em>At least its not one hundred and fifty.<em> I had to be thankful for what I had. I was really starting to appreciate the little things in life.

"So we've got a clear street?" I asked. "For now." He replied and Caleb chimed in with a "what's the nearest store of any kind?" and my prediction earlier came true."A convenience store." Ruki told him and Caleb instructed us to see what we could find inside.

The team split into teams of two and we crossed the street. Cody and Brandon entered the store, weapons at the ready while Kirk and Jackson guarded the front door and I swept around to the back entrance to ensure all of our bases were covered. It wasn't locked so I propped it open with a bloody wrench I picked up off the ground nearby. Twenty minutes later we were moving on without incident and four bags full. Of course I spent the entire time bouncing on the balls of my feet and inspecting any sound.  
>We were on our way to the home supply store with Ruki's instructions and Caleb's input every now and again. We had to travel up the street, cross, and head back down using the alleys silent as always. Kirk and Jackson went inside and I was quick to answer when Ruki, sounding quite amused, said "We've got company." and I froze. "What kind of company?" My eyes began darting around, paranoid. "Two guys headed towards the elementary school a couple of blocks west." A part of me was immediately torn between possibly heading to check them out and offer them a place to stay, needing manpower, Or avoiding them at all costs and evading any bloodshed on wither side. Some people these days were more prone to shooting rather than talking and if I took these men in to meet with a threat and any of them died that would be more blood on my hands. I had enough already.<p>

"Are they armed?" I asked. A moment or two passed and I shaded my eyes with my hand, the suns rays beating down on me and causing me to sweat. "Yeah. We've got a hick with a crossbow and an axe and the other has a cops uniform on and wielding...Just a...Oh, that s pretty sweet! He s got a python." It amazed me how quickly Ruki could get sucked into his fascination with guns and pressed him for more information. "Are you sure its just them? What are they doing?" Another pause and I began getting antsy. "Yeah its just them. They're resting right now..And..It looks like they re arguing. That hillbilly looks like one mean son of a bitch.." He said and I chewed on my bottom lip. Brandon came up beside me obviously having heard the entire conversation from his position at the door a few feet away.

"Do you wanna risk it?" Ruki asked and I shook my head. "I don t know." I needed to think for a minute and I had Brandon burning holes into the side of my face with his eyes which was only making me more uncomfortable. I paced, the walky tucked under my chin while the men inside went about gathering everything useful they could find. I watched them dart between aisles and fill their bags.

"Destiny, I hate to add to the load but I,m getting a plea for help on a channel that seems to be coming from the school." I frowned. "The men?" I asked. "No. It s a girl. All she said was that she was badly injured and at the school barricaded into the janitors closet on the first floor. She s been there for an hour and might need urgent care." I sighed already knowing what he wanted me to do. "You really want me to do this?" I asked. "You know..Ruki said the same thing the day you were brought back."

"Alright fine. But we split into two groups. If these people don t know each other I think we need to have two different approaches. Kirk, Jackson, and Brandon can get the girl and Ruki and Cody can come with me to check out the men. Seem reasonable?"I waited.

"Uh..Oh shit..Shit shit shit shit! Dezzy they've got walkers. They've got em baaadddd." It was decided. There was no way Caleb was going to let them die. It wasn't who he was. He was a good man. A little off kilter but a generous soul. "Go. I want everyone to have their walkies turned on and stick with your group. Be safe and don't do anything reckless." I rolled my eyes and grumbled back "Everything that we're about to do is reckless." I hadn't expected anything like this today.

Brandon ran into the store and fetched Kirk and Jackson while I tried to get some info. "What s the situation?" I asked and Ruki, cursing every other word, spoke too fast when answered. I had to tell him to slow down and repeat himself. "They ran to the car dealership and locked the doors. Shiiiittt they've got em inside too." I couldn't wait any longer. The second Kirk and the others came out I was barking orders. Then Cody, Ruki, and I took off for the school making sure not to attract more. I could hear gunshots and shouting as we neared the dealership and hid behind an abandoned car. There were twenty or more walkers slammed up against one another and pressed against the glass trying to get at the two men fending for theor lives against a handful of the undead inside.

I lifted my bow from around my shoulders and gripped an arrow as I took a deep breath. "Let's try to make this as quick, painless, and covert as possible." It would be extremely dangerous but if we were lucky we could dispatch just enough to make a path even if only for a moment which would give them men inside enough time to slip out.

Ruki leveled his rifle and rested it on the busted passengers window. He had a direct shot at the small horde and Cody kept his eyes peeled on our sides while I stood behind the hood of the car, bow drawn. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kirk, Jackson, and Brandon duck into the school. Brandon's blonde mop popped up into a window on the first floor and he broke the glass to aim his silenced magnum towards the crowd. In moments the undead started dropping like flies and by the time the welcome mat was littered with corpses I only had twenty arrows left. _Never got to get more.._

There was no time to lose. We rushed forward and signaled for the men to come out which they reacted to with hesitance like saving their lives made us suspicious. There were walkers starting to wander in from all sides and I kicked the door trying to get them to understand how pressing this issue was. "You're wasting time! C'mon!" I shouted and the two finally came out, weapons lowered. "What now?" The cop asked. "We run." I started towards the school and Brandon came sprinting out, face bright red. "Dez, she s not gonna make it if we don t hurry. She's busted up real bad and kinda delirious. She's lost a lot of blood." He was breathing heavy and his words came out in a rush. I looked around and let my mind fly through ideas a million miles per second.

"Who's hurt?" The cop asked and the redneck with the crossbow stood back a ways and kept a sharp eye on everyone. He didn't look like the social type and Ruki's comment earlier rang true. He really did look mean as hell with his dead gaze. "A girl in the school." I said and my eyes landed on a truck still intact and went for it. "Anyone know how to hot wire a car?" I asked while the walkers started for us. Brandon nodded and I sighed. "Okay this is going to be fucking crazy but..Brandon go back inside. We'll lead them away and you can get the girl out of here. Take the truck and go back. We'll head that way as soon as its safe." I said. The hick straightened his spine and stuck a well aimed bolt between a walkers eyes. "We're gonna do what now?" He asked and I ignored him.

"Go. We won't be far behind." Brandon didn't look completely convinced but time wasn't a luxury we had and he ran back into the school and I sighed heavily and removed a pistol from the holster and fired off two rounds and two skin suckers dropped to the cement. That sure got some attention.

"Crazy bitch.." I heard the hick grumble and the next moment we were all running at breakneck speed down the alley behind us, crossed the street, and took some down while we went. Caleb's voice erupted from the speaker on my hip and I considered not answering him. "Dez what's going on?" He asked but I could barely hear him over the screeching, the moaning, and the gunshots. "Destiny?" We took a right and stopped dead and curses went down the line at the sight of the massive horde stretched out before us.

"Oh..Fuck.. "We didn't move fast enough to go undetected. The second we all turned to run every eye was on us and the scum suckers went crazy. I lead the group into a tall building. "Where are we going?" The cop asked and I started up the stairs. "To the roof. We'll have a hell of a better chance to hop across to the next building and lose a majority of them. Then all we have to do is keep moving and there shouldn't be a problem." I panted every word and by the time we all flooded out onto the roof my heart was ready to take a shit and die. "Find something to block the door with." I was already looking and it was getting harder to ignore Caleb trying to get through to me.

"There's nothing." It was true. Not so much as a rusty pipe and we had to keep going. The sounds of quick thundering footsteps on the stairs below seemed to pound in my ears but that could have been my heartbeat too. "Let's go." Ruki bolted off and made a clean jump to the next building and moved two more ahead before any of us had cleared the second one. "My name's Rick by the way and this is Daryl." The cop chose an odd time to introduce himself but there was no time like the present I guess. "Destiny." I replied and we finally caught up to Ruki who was peering down a ladder and catching his breath. I stopped to glance behind and saw the door bust open from where we started and masses of the undead pour out in a frenzy. There were so many of them that the ones trying to get out of the stairwell just kept coming until eventually pushing some of the others off the roof in the process.

We were on the complete opposite side of the city that we needed to be on. The warehouse was in the exact opposite direction and I wondered if the others were on their way yet. We took the ladder down and booked it towards the outskirts. I wasn't too familiar with the area but we ended up in a small neighborhood that didn't seem to have anything alive to offer and we found an old house to duck into for a moment to collect ourselves. The men went about checking every room and possible entrance while I finally answered Caleb who'd gone quiet a minute or two ago.

"Everything's fine, Caleb. Just hit a little snag is all". I'm sure he wouldn't think the heavy breathing and the long delay in answering would be fine but I couldn't have him freak out on me over a molehill no matter how incredibly stupid my decision had been. I d risked the lives of everyone for one person.

"Destiny? Oh, for fucks sake you scared the hell out of me. What happened?" While I explained to him each of the men returned to the living room one by one. I expected Caleb to flip my shit for being an idiot but it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I told you not to do anything reckless! He sighed and I felt a little better after his next comment. "That was very brave..Stupid but brave." There was a creak from the floor boards beneath my feet when I shifted my weight and opened my mouth to speak. I paused, the squeaks coming from beneath the feet of the others as if it couldn't take the weight. It clicked in my head a second before the floor gave out beneath our feet and a scream ripped from my throat which ended in an 'OOF'! as I hit cement and my head bounced off the basement floor. With us came the dining table, the chairs, the rug, some rats, and a ton of dust.

"Ooohh. Ouch.." I sat up on my elbows and heard the sounds of the others moving around, a couple of coughs, and a groan now and again. "What the FUCK?" Daryl exclaimed looking up at the gaping opening. Rick, rubbing his lower back, knocked on a beam next to him and shook his head. "Probably termites." He said and I gingerly dusted myself off. Cody hobbled up next to me and I looked him over. "You hurt?" I asked. He shook his head and stood up straight with a wince." Nah. Just twisted my ankle I think. I'll live." He kept his weight on his right leg and leaned against the wall, brushing some of the dust and pieces of wood that was stuck in his hair. No one was too badly injured but we were in a shitty situation. The floor collapsing had taken the basement stairs with it leaving us in a pit too deep to climb out of. Ruki was gathering the fallen bags when I noticed that Caleb was silent. I looked around for the walky and found it busted next to where I d fallen._ Just great._ "Ruki, let me borrow your walky." I extended my hand for it while he felt around his belt for it and I think both of us saw the broken device at the same time because both of us sighed as if our dogs had both just been shot. Cody looked between the two of us and, sounding helpless, said "We're fucked aren't we...?"

...

**So I'm totally cool with you guys being brutally honest. Am I rusty or is it my imagination? I can't tell! In the next chapter there's gonna be something a little new. I'm gonna try my hand at a few different characters POVs that I've never thought of doing like Lori or Andrea or something..Maybe Dale..Who knows. Also you can expect a lot of dialog between characters and whatnot..Ya know..The usual and its up to these all stars to get out of that Mute wakes up in a whole new environment. What will she do? Go batshit crazy? Tune in next time and find out! Until then...Much Love!**

-MeRci.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: **Hmmmmm I wonder how many people abandoned this story thinking it would never be updated. Well for those unbelievers I say shame! Shame on you. No I'm just kidding. I know I haven't updated at all in a while but writer's block gets to us all some time or another and mine was really bad so I took a rather long vacation from writing. I apologize. Now let's get back to where we left off shall we? In this chapter we've got a little death, some violence, and some action. All of the necessary ingredients for zombie fun right? Also Dez and Rick fend for their lives, promises are made, and Al is seeing shit? o.O Sounds like fun doesn't it?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own rights to the walking dead blah god damn blah fucking blah.

**Credits: **The credit for this chapter goes to those who have stuck with me through my (horribly timed) rough patch. Basically those of you who will wet themselves when you see this update. I'm not into that kind of thing but there's a piece of me that really hopes there's a lot of you that need to change your panties (or boxers) after seeing that I updated.

...

Daryl POV:

"Daryl I don't think that's helpin' any." Rick was starin' at me. Actually all of 'em were even the Jap that looked like a punk wannabe with his rifle restin' on his shoulders while he kicked at the dirt when we made eye contact. I stopped kickin' at the wooden beam I'd been fixatin' on takin' my anger out on and the younger guy with the hurt ankle sittin' next to it stopped cringin' like a bitch. "Thank you." Rick turned back to the Jap and set his hands on his hips. "So what were ya'll doin' out there?" He asked and for a second it sounded like he was goin' to scold them like he would his kid.

The Jap looked up at him through his bangs and pulled out a crushed pack of cigarettes. He took one out and tossed it to the girl, took one for himself, lit it, and tossed the lighter to her as well and she pocketed them both after lightin' it. It was fuckin' weird how they looked like they'd been on the same wavelength. "Needed supplies." He said while Rick looked back and forth at both of them obviously tryin' to figure 'em out.

"We've got a place out past the outskirts on the opposite side of town with mouths that need to be fed." The girl with the bow spoke up and Rick was silent for a beat. "How many?" He asked. "There's eighteen of us." She answered exhalin' a large cloud of smoke. "Probably going to be nineteen soon. Maybe more." I frowned tryin' to figure out what she meant.

"I gotta ask." She shifted her weight and adjusted the bow draped 'round her shoulders. "What were you two doing there?" Rick looked back at me and then down at the ground before answerin'. "We've got a group too. We were at the CDC in Atlanta..We escaped just before the place blew and are lookin' for some place safe. We thought this place might be.." He trailed off an' shook his head.

"How many do you have?" She asked. "Eleven includin' us." He answered an' Destiny was silent in thought for a moment or two before she asked her next question. "Is the girl one of yours?"

I wasn't that interested in the girl that kept bein' mentioned earlier but now I was gettin' curious. "What girl do you keep talkin' 'bout?" I asked. She turned her attention my way and fiddled with the cigarette between her fingers. "I don't know. I haven't met her. All Caleb told me was that she was at the school and she was injured. Three of our men were supposed to take her back to the warehouse." At the end of the statement she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth an' nibbled on it which left me with an uncomfortable sensation of familiarity. How many times had a certain quiet girl done the same thing when deep in thought or nervous? There was a churnin' in my gut now that I was thinkin' bout Mute. There was a chance she was dead but..What if she wasn't? Stop worryin' 'bout it. She's dead. I couldn' start gettin' my hopes up every time a strange girl was mentioned it would drive me fuckin' nuts.

"How far from here is this place you're talkin' about?" I could see the wheels turnin' in Rick's head when he spoke an' he looked torn. Destiny pointed to the guy with the ankle injury and sighed. "With him to carry? It's gonna take a day or more I'd guess." Great. More time to waste. Rick's expression mimicked my thoughts an' he didn't look too thrilled when he met her gaze burnin' with somethin' I couldn't readily identify. "And I'm not sure it would be a good idea to go looking for a vehicle any time soon. If we ever get the fuck out of this hole that is.." She glared up at the gap above.

"We don't have to find a vehicle. We came on his motorcycle." Rick pointed at me an' I wasn' sure how I felt about him revealin' so much to these people even if they did save our asses. "Its parked outside the city. Daryl and I can go get help. We can bring our group and then head to your warehouse."

The girl's expression read distrust an' she shook her head. "Sorry, sheriff you'll have to forgive me. One can never be too careful these days. Whichever one of you wants to go will be taking Ruki with you. The other can stay." There was defiance in her tone an' I had to wonder what was with her attitude all of a sudden. She helped us out of certain death an' now she flipped a switch an' was treatin' us like the enemy. I'd probably do the same. We were strangers an' there were enough survivors willin' to kill fellow survivors for little to know reason. Kinda like Merle. He could be your best friend one second and your worst enemy the next. Rick, it seemed, was lookin' to bunk with these people for a while an' I could use a good nights sleep so the only answer to this was to deal with it. For now.

Rick was quick to accept the offer. "That's fine. Daryl?" He turned his gaze my way an' I look from him to the girl and back again. The Jap didn't look like someone I wanted on the back of my bike with me, somethin' 'bout the way his trigger finger kept twitchin' but I sure as hell wasn' gonna let Rick drive either. " 'Kay." And the look the Americanized chink gave me could'a been a glare but I assumed his eyes were just that slanted for his sake.

Destiny looked content with my answer an' for the life of me I couldn't decide if I appreciated the balls she had for actin' like she had any sort of authority over me or if I wanted to leave a bolt 'tween her eyes and be done with it. "The plan is all fine and dandy but I don't see how we're gettin' to my bike if we're stuck in here." I wasn' one to point out the elephant in the hole but I didn't see any point in ignorin' one so big either and god damn Rick if he didn' glance up at the gapin' hole above us like he was just noticin' it for the first time.

"Well.." Rick grabbed up a chair that had been left in one piece an' set it upright. "this won't help much but if he stands on your shoulders he can pull himself up an' then you after him." Rick must've lost his fuckin' mind I realized as I looked Ruki over. He didn't look like he could handle my weight any more than I could handle a damn Ford but the guy didn't look concerned. In fact he looked downright confident. "You sure that's such a good idea?" I asked, eyein' him up and down again.

For the first time since we'd run into these three the Jap addressed me directly and he did it with a smirk that made me uncomfortable. "Don't worry, cowboy." And he flexed his biceps and wagged his eyebrows. "I can handle ya." and the girl chuckled beside him which didn't make me feel any better. Was he gay or somethin? He brushed past Rick, rifle still supported on his shoulders, and stepped up on the chair. "No worries though. I don't need those broad, manly shoulders of yours." I almost shit myself when he winked at me. I wanted to kick the chair out from beneath his feet but another part of me was curious as to what he meant. Ain't no way he's makin' it up that without help. The part of me that was curious won out and I couldn't wait to see him fail. Go ahead. Try to show off, kid. I tried to hide my smirk but it must've been clear as day on my face because he chuckled and shook his head in a 'challenge accepted' sort of way.

"Be careful." Rick and the kid with the jacked up ankle were watching but Destiny had her attentions set elsewhere off to the side where there was a family photo of three strangers cracked and dusty on the ground. Yet when he tossed her his rifle she caught it without so much as a look up. Fuckin' freaky. I would eventually ask how the hell they did that shit.

I returned my attention to the Jap and, I shit you not, this little bastard crouched down like he was ready to take a shit and then launched himself up like a damn bottle rocket and grabbed onto the edge of the hole, his knuckles white with the force he gripped the rottin' wood with. It creaked with his weight when he pulled himself up and hopped over the edge like it was fuckin' nothin'. Like a damn monkey.. I wouldn't say I was impressed but it gained him some points in my book.

When he poked his blonde, spiky head back over he was grinnin' from ear to ear an' Destiny launched his gun right up after him. It didn't surprise me this time that he caught it and then extended an arm down. "Your turn, crossbow." He said and I shook my head. "Can't believe this.." I grumbled and hoisted myself up onto the chair. Lookin' up at him the jump looked higher than I thought. "You sure?" I asked, still not completely convinced and he shrugged. "Don't be a pussy." I gaped up at the chink with the brass balls and that was it. I jumped, grabbed his hands, and even though I was ready to be dropped and mentally preparin' myself for the pain of a busted tailbone his grip was better than I'd expected. With some teamwork I was up and over the edge in less than minute.

"You best thank your lucky stars you didn't drop me." I huffed while gettin' to my feet. Ruki shrugged and brushed himself off. "I thought about it." He said. "What?" He shook his head. "Nothing." And he leaned over the side again. "Stay." He pointed to the girl who arched an eyebrow at him and rolled her eyes. "Yeah..Because I have so many other options but this one is the best." Her sarcasm rang clear as a bell and the chink cackled like it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever heard in his life.

…  
>Shane Pov:<p>

"SOPHIA!"  
>"Carol! Keep it down!" I hissed. There wouldn't be any point of continuing the search if she brought all the walkers in the area right to us. After Rick and Daryl drove off into the sunset together we'd had a nasty run-in with a small group of walkers that sent everyone into panic mode. People split up, it was chaos, and the next thing I knew Carol was going crazy over her daughter who she said ran off in the thick of things. Into the woods of all places. Didn't that girl have any sense of self preservation?<p>

"Don't you tell me to be quiet! That's my little girl, Shane!" She hissed in my face and I flinched as a bit of saliva landed on my cheek. Her eyes were wild and her face was bright red with fury and fear. "I know and we all want to find her but we need to go about this smart. If you wanna give her a chance you can't be bringing the walkers right to us. Then we're gonna be up shits creek without a paddle and Sophia won't stand a chance." I glanced over Carol's shoulder to Lori who had an iron grip on Carl who looked like he was ready to go bolting into the forest half cocked to find his friend. I'd seen that same look in him earlier when he'd been told Mute wasn't with us. I wasn't sad to see her go but her disappearance had left two of our group in a state of distress.

Daryl, I couldn't even be sure of what he was thinking anymore. He probably had been banging the silent freak the whole time or something because now that she was gone there was something different about him. Usually he was the first to stick his two cents in when it came to matters of keeping the group safe. Ever since we'd left the CDC, though, he'd clammed up and was shooting glares and leers in every direction. Carl, hopefully wouldn't take his lead and do the same. I'd have to remember to pull him aside later and talk some sense into him since Rick and Lori didn't seem to want to take that responsibility onto themselves. I almost shivered in delight at the thought of playing daddy to him again in his father's absence.

Even though Lori had made it a point to ignore me and everything between us I knew there was still something there. How could there not be after all we'd been through together? I could see it in her eyes when she shot a paranoid glance my way. There was a part of her that wanted me to be in charge so we could be together again. If only Rick hadn't come back then there wouldn't be any problem. I'd lead the group to safety and lay at Lori's side at night and watch over her and Carl until I was content enough to sleep like it was in the beginning.

"We can split up and look for her." Glenn was shifting his weight from one foot to the other anxiously. As if he couldn't contain the fear and the adrenaline pumping through his veins. I wasn't so keen on the idea. Usually when we split up someone ended up dead or bitten but to calm Carol down and restore the group's faith in me I agreed. "Alright." I scratched at the back of my neck and started giving orders before anyone could interject their opinions. "Glenn and T-dog you head that way." I pointed into the woods to the left. "Andrea you come with me. Carol stay here with Dale in case she comes back." And for once there was no arguments even though I could see the pessimism brewing in Lori's eyes. Carl didn't look very happy while the rest of us gathered our weapons and made sure we had ammo and such.

"What about me?" He asked as I checked my clip. "You're gonna stay here with your mom and keep her safe." I said but he wasn't pleased with it. "I wanna help look for Sophia." There was confidence in his voice and he had plenty of reason to help but there was no way I was gonna let him step foot in those woods. I'd have to be out of my god damn mind to put him in danger like that. "Well I'm sorry but that's just not gonna happen. Your dad would have my balls if he found out I let you go in them woods." Of course even if it wasn't for Rick there would be no way in hell he'd let Carl go with them.

"He's right. One child lost is enough." Lori had left it to me thus far but finally refused the boy herself. She patted his head and it looked like he accepted the fact that he couldn't do anything to help Sophia. At least for now. It wasn't very likely that the kid would keep that attitude if his little friend wasn't found within the day which he couldn't guarantee.

Before Carl could change his mind I moved around him and gave Lori a lingering look before jogging off with Andrea who looked all too eager to get her hands dirty. Each day that passed since Amy's death had left the woman more and more angry and it was almost as if she was dying to take all of her pent up rage out on some walkers. Of course I hoped it wouldn't come to that. I wanted to just find the kid without any trouble and keep looking for safety when Rick and Daryl got back..Or maybe just Daryl. Some part of me hoped for a horrific death for the man I'd once called my best friend. Lately the term had become less and less true but it kept me in Rick's good graces until I could figure out how I was going to win my life with Lori back.

"You think we have any chance of finding her?" Andrea asked as we stepped off the road. There was no way I could tell her what I was really thinking, that Sophia was bound to be dead when they found her, so I put on my best good guy face and nodded. "She couldn't have gone far." Was my only answer and it seemed to put her worries at ease and dropped us both into silence just the way I liked it. It helped me keep my mind on the task ahead instead of worrying over what response would be best accepted.

…...

Dezzy POV:

Ruki and Daryl had left not long ago after throwing down a ladder they grabbed from the shed in the back yard. It was a good thing too because I would have lost my mind if I'd had to stay in that hole for much longer. There were way too many possibilities of shit going wrong in that scenario for me to feel comfortable. If a group of walkers stumbled upon us we'd be in a dilly of a pickle.

Getting Cody up the ladder was pain. He bitched and moaned the whole way up and collapsed as soon as he was out. Rick and I helped him onto a couch in the living room and I thought it would be a good idea to check the house for anything useful while he rested. What else would I do while I waited for the others to come for us? Venture out into the street? Maybe if I had a death wish.

While checking the cabinets in the kitchen I heard footsteps behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see Rick. He seemed anxious so I tossed him one of the duffel bags and put him to work. While we went about collecting food, spices, and a few bottles of water he struck up a conversation. "You and the asian guy...Ruki?" He tested name out and I nodded. "You two work well together. You do this kind of stuff often? Scavenging I mean." He tossed some forks and knives into the bag and started checking the cabinets beneath the sink. "Yeah. Not just us though. We come in groups of six usually and try not to split up but we don't normally have to execute search and rescue operations." I admitted. It made me severely miss Kirk. If he were here right now things might have turned out for the better. He knew this town better than I ever could.

"So..Does that mean there isn't anyone else here?" Rick held up a couple bottles of cleaning solution and I nodded to him. Everything was useful these days especially anything containing bleach. Other than fire it was the best way to disinfect an area which was essential when a walkers blood getting into any open wound meant death. Caleb always insisted we grab some because our people sometimes needed medical attention and he went out of his way to ensure everything went smoothly. Every tiny little detail was already thought of ahead of time.

"They're all dead...Or undead." We cleared the kitchen and I had Rick hold the bag open while I dumped supplies in from the downstairs bathroom. The medicine cabinet had a few things and I made sure to empty out the cabinet beneath the sink and grab all of the toothpaste, tampons, pads, and shampoos and body washes. "For such a small place there sure are a lot of walkers." Rick leaned against the doorframe while I flitted about. "There weren't this many a month ago. They just started wandering in from all over the place." I mumbled.

From there we checked bedrooms, bathrooms, linen closets, and the shed in the back yard and managed to fill four bags. By the time we were dropping the last one on the living room floor the sun was starting to set and Cody was napping right where we left him.

"Shit..I thought they'd be back by now." I grumbled and peeked outside a window. There were Six or seven walkers shuffling around but I wasn't stupid enough to let my guard down and assume we were safe. There was no telling how many more were out there. At the end of the driveway and down the street bodies were scattered that weren't there before we arrived. Ruki and the redneck must've dispatched those on their way out. Hopefully they didn't run into any trouble.

"This group of yours...What kind of people are they?" Rick asked. It could've been mistaken as an innocent question but the translation, to me, was 'how many psychos do you have?' I backed away from the window and made myself comfortable on the floor. "Good people. The kind that pulled together for survival." I glanced at Rick as he took a seat across from me. "They're not the type to cause trouble if that what you're asking." But then I had to rethink that. "Okay..Most of them aren't." There was no telling how Jackson would react to more people but he would do as Caleb said hopefully without much convincing. "And yours?"I asked as he mulled my reply over.

"We've got a couple of hotheads but nothing worth worrying about." Rick had a smile on his face and was staring at the window. "My wife,Lori, is gonna be so relieved that we've got someplace to go. I kind of messed things up with the CDC. I thought we'd be safe there but..."He shook his head and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. "I made a bad decision and we lost a few people.." He trailed off and suddenly a shadow passed by the window and Rick lunged at me. "Get down!" He whispered. I nodded when he put a finger to his lips as a sign to be quiet and we both rolled to use the couch as cover.

From the porch I could hear footsteps. Fast paced and dragging accompanied by groans. Rick and I looked at each other and he signaled for me to stay low and get to the door. I nodded and, keeping low to the floor and as silent as possible, I darted out around the couch and flattened myself against the wall right next to the door. To gauge just how bad the situation was I peeked through the peephole and bit back a curse before slipping the bolt lock in place as quietly as I could and ducking again and making my way back to Rick as more shadows moved on the walls.

"How many?" Rick asked and I shook my head. "Too many for us to handle on our own. Maybe thirty or more." I didn't know how they'd multiplied so much since I'd checked earlier but I did know that our odds of making it out alive were getting slimmer and slimmer as the minutes ticked by. "Help me with Cody." I motioned to the still sleeping man and on the count of three Rick and I dragged him onto the floor. My hand immediately went to his mouth to muffle his grunt of surprise. As soon as he realized it was only us he was wide awake. Just in time for a thud from the door. "Aw crap. I guess nap time is over." Cody whimpered as soon as I removed my hand.

I had to think fast. I didn't know what kind of experience Rick had with this kind of shit but I didn't have time to ask him. I had to think of a way to get us out of this with all of our lives. While I was trying to come up with a plan there was more banging on the door. "Shit.." I looked around and pulled my axe from the harness and handed it to Rick. "No guns if you can help it. I don't want to bring any more down on us with the noise." I informed him and grabbed the crowbar Cody Had hooked into his belt while he unsheathed his machete. The banging was getting louder and more vicious so there was no way the walkers didn't know we were inside.

"Get to far side of that hole. When they come after us we've got a good chance that most of them will fall in. The rest we can take out. " It wasn't the best plan but it was what I could cook up at the last minute and we all made a break for it as the door rattled. It wouldn't be long before the house would be flooded with the undead. Taking positions at the gaping hole in the floor we waited, weapons at the ready. "You really think this will work?" Cody asked, his face mixed with fear and apprehension and even with the panic racking my body I shrugged and tried to sound sure of myself. "Well..If it doesn't at least I won't have to ever look at your ugly mug again." And as soon as he gave a nervous chuckle the door gave in, fell off the hinges, and was trampled as walkers bursted through.

Teeth clicking, mouths gaping, and hands grabbing at air the undead swarmed inside and headed straight for us in a frenzy like a group of sharks in chummed waters. The hole was a great advantage and a lot of the walkers that headed straight for us fell in just as I'd hoped. Unfortunately there were also a lot that went around which left Rick, Cody, and I with our hands full. To my left Cody was swinging the machete wildly, a crazed look in his eye. I was grateful that at least he was aiming for the heads and Rick was holding his own better than I could have hoped. I skirted the narrowest path around the hole and grunted as I jammed the crowbar through the eye of a walker that got a little too close to Cody while he was dealing with another. Rick shouted "Behind you!" And I quickly turned and bashed the skull of one skinsucker just as it grabbed my shoulder.

As more undead dropped into the hole more wandered in from the street and Cody shouted. "Is there any end to these fucking things?!" And chopped the head clean off of a woman ready to take a bite out of his face. I kicked a walker into the hole, twirled and took out three more on my way over to help him out with his load. Rick did the same and we managed to drop the rest. Just in case I started shoving bodies into the pit to give us room and while we were returning to our positions Cody stumbled, his bad ankle catching on a dismembered arm. "Shit!" He yelled and lost his balance. Just before falling into the pit he grabbed onto the side. "Help!"

"Cody!" I grabbed his hand and Rick came over to help out but just as we started to pull he screamed. I looked down to see a walker chewing away at his foot. "God damn it!" I already knew what had to be done. "I gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry Cody." And released him. Rick didn't seem to understand and held on but I shook my head. "let him go." I told him but Rick shook his head. "We can't leave him!" He shouted over Cody's screams of pain. "Let him go!" Movement caught my eye and through the door came more of the undead. Rick saw it as well and I made a split second decision. I scooped up Cody's machete, sliced his head clean off, and shoved Rick away from the hole as I forced myself not to cry. Sure, Cody hadn't been my favorite person in the world but losing anyone these days was hard. At least he wouldn't turn.

Rick gaped at me for a moment and I could see the question in his eyes but he recovered quickly and stood, axe raised as we were descended upon by the dead. More of them fell into the pit that was quickly filling up and with just the two of us it was looking like an impossible task to get out alive. Maybe I'd made the wrong choice. Maybe we should have run out the back door instead of fighting.  
>Rick and I were struggling, every breath labored, each swing taking more out of us, and soon we were backed up against each other fighting for our lives kicking, swinging, and stabbing. I was getting tired. My arms starting to feel heavy until I had to drop the crowbar and use both hands on the machete to maintain my strength. It seemed like no matter how many fell more came.<p>

"I'm sorry!" I shouted to Rick over the frenzied cries of the hoard. "Don't be! You did what you thought was right!" I could have cried in that moment. If I were him I don't think I could have said the same thing. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose. I was not going to die. Not here. Not now. Not like this.

"Fuck it!" As soon as I had the chance I dropped the machete and drew my guns and started squeezing off rounds. Rick didn't take long to do the same and the walkers started dropping like flies. It took me a minute to realize we weren't the only ones shooting and the body count was piling up faster than it should have. I risked a peek at the door and relief flooded through me. "The cavalry has arrived!" Ruki waltzed through the door, handguns drawn with Daryl at his side and a few people I didn't recognize in tow.

"Come on!" An asian guy scooped up two of the duffel bags on the floor while the rest made a path for us and Rick grabbed the other two on our way out. I made sure not to leave Cody's machete behind and followed after them onto the lawn. "What took you guys so long?" I asked. Ruki hopped into the bed of an old truck and picked up his rifle. "We had to stop for gas. These guys were stranded on the highway." The asian guy ran around the side of the truck and hopped into the driver's seat while the others piled into another car. Ruki started firing as we sped off until we were clear of the walkers.

"Where's Cody?" He asked and I dug the cigarettes out of my pocket with the lighter, lit up and tossed him both. "He didn't make it." I shook my head. I didn't have the heart to dredge out all of the details but lucky for me Ruki didn't ask for any. He just nodded and squeezed my shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay." He said.

I relaxed and watched the town fly by for a while before I noticed we weren't headed towards the warehouse. "Where are we going?" I asked. Ruki scooted closer so I could hear him over the wind as we sped along. "Back to their group. One of their children has gone missing. I told them we would help look for her since we're getting so good at search and rescue." He grinned at me and I couldn't help but laugh. That was just like him. Ruki acted aloof a lot of the time but when it came to helping people he was always the first to volunteer. "Caleb is going to rip me a new asshole for this." I could already see it. I'd be sitting in his office while he shouted about me being reckless, stupid, and irresponsible. Someone was lost because of me what else could I expect? I probably wouldn't be allowed to lead a team ever again and that's exactly what I deserved along with an ass beating.

The truck started to slow as we made it to the highway and after a few minutes we stopped completely beside an RV and the asian guy driving jumped out and came around to us. "Glenn." He stuck his hand out for me to shake which I did after wiping some of the blood off my hand. "Dez." He smiled and tilted his head. "Interesting name. I like it." He said and patted the truck. "Now come on so I can introduce you." Ruki and I hopped out of the bed and followed suit as Glenn made his way over to an older man and woman standing beside the RV. The woman had her eyes glued to the trees and seemed distressed and the man had an arm around his shoulder and was speaking to her gently. "Everything will be fine..They'll find her."

"Dale. Carol. This is Dez she's Ruki's..." Glenn stopped and looked between Ruki and I in question. "Friend." I clapped Ruki on the shoulder and answered. "Right.." Glenn looked up at Ruki and winked which made me wonder what the fuck Ruki said to these people in my absence. "Carol is the missing girl's mother." Ruki informed me and I immediately understood the expression on her face and why she wasn't exactly paying any attention to me or anyone else for that matter.

"Oh my.." Dale looked me up and down and extended his hand. "What happened to you?" He asked which had me looking down at my blood soaked clothing. "Oh..That." I cleared my throat ready to tell them the gist of what went down when Rick sauntered up, thumbs hooked into his belt loops. "We got into a messy situation." He said and asked Dale if he could talk to him alone. The two wandered around to the other side of the RV which left the rest of us with Carol.

"Call me T-dog." The man was built like a tank and even his fingers had muscles which made me a little hesitant to shake it but I grasped his hand firmly and was going to introduce myself but he shook his head. "Dez. I know. This guy told us about you." He pointed to Ruki. "Thanks for agreeing to help out." He said and I nodded. "No problem." Even though I'd never actually agreed to any such thing it was just thrown onto my plate but I didn't mind that much. It's not like I had a little sister to think about getting back to..Oh wait. Yes I did. Hope was probably freaking out right now.

"Shane back yet?" Glenn asked Carol. She shook her head, her eyes searching the trees still. "He and Andrea are still out there." Her eyes were red and puffy as if she'd been crying for hours. I approached her feeling a little hesitant. "Umm..Your little girl. What's her name?" I asked and Carol seemed as if she hadn't even known I was there until just that moment. Her eyes took me in and I scratched the back of my neck knowing how terrible I looked. "Sophia." Her lips trembled and I nodded. "That's a pretty name. Do you have a picture of her?" I asked. Carol nodded and retreated into the RV so I followed her.

Inside it was actually kind of cozy. At the table there was a woman and a young boy seated and when I walked in the woman's eyes went wide as she looked me over. Carol was off in the back rummaging around and I didn't really know what to do so I waved. "Hi. I'm Dez." Introducing myself was really all I could think to do. The boy turned and looked at me, his eyes lowering to my hand which I suddenly realized was still holding Cody's machete covered in walker blood. "Oh..!" I hid it behind my leg but the kid stood up and circled me to get a better look at it. "Cool. Can I hold it?" He asked.

"Carl!" The woman stood and took him by the arm and pulled him away from the blade. "I'm sorry. He's really been taking a shine to sharp objects recently despite my best efforts." She was smiling but it was more of an awkward smile which I totally understood. "I'm Lori." She shook my hand just as Carol came back and handed me a picture of a cute little girl with a huge smile. I stared at it for a minute and handed it back to her. "I'll do my best to find her, Carol. I promise." I didn't know this woman and she didn't know me but she was putting her trust in me. All of these people were putting their trust in me, Ruki, and the rest of our group to be kind to them. In this world these days that was a rare thing to find so I was somewhat surprised they were being so friendly and less suspicious. Ruki must have turned on the charm or something or maybe these people were really desperate for safety.

…...

Mute POV:

'Oh...God..What now?' Was this a dream? No. There was no way. Was I still alive? Yup. Pain. Still alive. I could hear voices and not the annoying one that kept yakking away when I was crawling through that city..er..Town..Whatever that was. I could remember the school. I found a radio and called for help. It was..Answered? By who? Were they dangerous?

"She's waking up."

I opened my eyes a little to a small lamp being lowered towards my face and groaned. 'No..Make the light go away..' I turned my face away and attempted to roll over but a steady hand on my shoulder forced me to stay still. 'No. Don't touch me..' I tried to move but I was too weak. Everything felt like it was taking forever. Even one breath felt like it took an hour. "You have to stay still or you won't heal properly. You've got stitches so you must be careful." The voice faded but it was still talking I just couldn't make out the words. I turned my head back towards the light. "Can you hear me?"

A face came into view though it was blurry and relief flooded through me. I managed to lift my hand and reached for the face that I thought I might never see again. 'You're here? But how..?' I sighed as my fingers brushed against stubble and I couldn't help but smile.

"You're going to be okay." The voice assured and I nodded. Of course I would be okay. 'You would never let anything happen to me..You promised...' The face blurred some more and then I had to close my eyes. I was so tired. All I wanted to do was sleep. 'And now I can because you're here to watch over me..'

"Daryl.."

…...

Dez POV:

"Daryl. Sophia doesn't know Dez so she won't go to her if she does find her so go with her. I'll go with Ruki." Rick was dividing us into search parties and supplying us all with flash lights. I didn't know where to even begin looking for the girl but I'd try my damndest although the whole 'after dark search party' wasn't something I was entirely comfortable with. There were way too many opportunities for shit to go wrong in the dark plus I was growing weary from the excitement of the day but a promise was a promise. I'd look for the girl and in the process I'd figure out a little more about the group we'd be bringing home.

We all split up and Daryl and I set off in search of the girl with the blonde hair and sweet smile. I made sure to keep my light on the ground in hopes of finding footsteps. I wasn't exactly tracker extraordinaire but I could at least try to be. There was no telling what I could do if I put my mind to it.

"So you all seem to be a friendly bunch." I walked at Daryl's side watching our right side while he scanned the left. Teamwork was such a lovely thing. Unless the team members were assholes. Then it kind of ruined the whole thing.

"When we wanna be.." Daryl's answer was short and his tone hinted that he didn't particularly feel like talking. Unfortunately I was never one to let that affect me much. If I had a mind to pump someone for information then it would damn well happen.

"I'm just curious. I mean..Not too many people are willing to trust so easy these days so I gotta wonder why -" My sentence was cut short when off in the distance there was a rustling. I immediately turned in the direction of the sound and shone my light there.

"You see anythin'?" Daryl was right there with his crossbow raised. I stared for a moment but nothing happened so I took a few cautious steps towards the noise and listened hard for anything else but the night was eerily quiet and, to be honest, it was creeping me the fuck out. Not that I could show it. I had to shove all feelings of anxiety into the pit of my stomach and investigate.

While Daryl covered me from where he stood I made my way closer until I stood in the approximate place I could have sworn I heard the sound but looking around there was nothing. Then it came again only this time it was a little further ahead of me. I went on, machete tight in my grip and my eyes darting in every direction hoping to catch sight of whatever was fucking with me. With any luck it would be Sophia and this could have a happy ending and we could all get to the fucking warehouse. No such luck.

Up ahead of me I still couldn't see anything but that didn't necessarily mean that there wasn't anything there. I searched around and when I couldn't find anything I turned back to Daryl who was still standing where I'd left him and shrugged. "I guess it was nothin-"

BAM

Stars exploded before my eyes and I dropped like a sack of potatoes.

**...**

** Ah, I think I'm rusty but I guess that's up to you guys to decide. Anywhosawhatsis..In the next chapter Carol has a complete fucking mental breakdown, Shane throws a hissy, Dez might try some more half-assed questioning. By the way what hell is up with that girl? Why is she so important in this story? Does she have a potential romance with someone from the main cast? Gaaaaahhh! So many questions! Not enough answers! I think I need way more of Al in the next chapter...Meh..We'll see. Much Love!**

**-**MeRci.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary**: Hey all! I'm ALIIIIVVVEE! Ok so I know its been forever and a day since I've updated but its because I couldn't remember the password to my account and I got locked out of the e-mail account I had linked with it but now that I have everything all straightened out I'm gonna get this rolling again! So in this chapter we have a certain Asian man go a little crazy, Daryl snaps, and a few new POVs that I hope you guys like. Read on and enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking Dead nor do I make any profit off of this. Obviously..I'm always broke hahaha.

...

**Dez POV**:

Was I dead? Ugh. Never mind. My head was throbbing so there was no way. I could hear people around me mumbling and whispering. "do you think she'll be okay?" "I don't know she took a hell of a hit." I groaned and attempted to open my eyes but even that hurt. Holy shit what hit me? A train?

It took a moment to stop seeing two of everything but once my vision began to cooperate properly I recognized that I was in the RV again. "What happened?" I sat up on my elbow and reached back to feel my skull immediately regretting it as I grazed an enormous goose egg and hissed in pain.

"You're awake!" Someone spoke and it was Glenn who leaned over me to look me over. "You shouldn't get up so soon." He put his hands on my shoulders and tried to push me back on the booth I was laid out on. I shook my head, my brain left swimming by the small action and I pushed his hands away. "Nah. I'm fine. Or I will be. " I grumbled and sat up fully. I was never one to give myself proper time to recover from anything. It might cause unnecessary worry in those around me but I just couldn't stand being babied and forced to sit for too long.

Lori leaned over to check out the lump on the back of my head and hissed as if the sight of it pained her. "You really should rest for a while." She insisted but I shook my head again. "I said I'll be fine. How long have I been out?" I steadied myself on the table and scooted out from the booth to stand on unsteady legs. I mentally scolded myself to kick my ass into gear and gave my knees a moment to stop shaking so much.

Glenn and Lori shared a look. "Not long. Daryl brought you back about fifteen minutes ago." The man said giving her some space yet poised to catch her as if he thought she might topple over at any moment. "What happened?" I asked again trying to piece it together myself with no avail. The last thing I remembered was talking to Daryl, then pain, and then darkness.

"We don't know. The others are outside with Shane figurin-" There came a commotion from outside and everyone stopped and glanced to each other before they were rushing to the door to see what all the fuss was about. I followed and shakily made my way outside just in time to see Ruki yank free of Daryl's grip and fly at a man I didn't recognize talking to Rick with a sullen look on his face.

I stared, dumbfounded as Ruki tackled the man to the ground and started wailing on him like an animal screaming in his native tongue. He looked absolutely furious which left me awfully confused as to what was going on. "Hey!" Daryl scrambled to pull Ruki off as he slammed his fist into the man's face again and dodged a vicious elbow which he caught and dragged Ruki away with a look on his face that was a mix of shock and slight amusement.

Ruki was having none of it and continued to shout trying to twist out of Daryl's grip. "Stupid son of a bitch!" Were the first English words I could make out and I took a few steps forward before someone behind me grabbed my arm to keep me from going any further which sent a flare of agitation up my spine and I glared at whoever it was. It was Glenn and he was shaking his head as if to tell me to let the others deal with it.

"It was dark, you crazy shit! I thought she was a walker!" The strange man wiped some of the blood dribbling from his nose while being helped to his feet by Rick who's eyes were trained on Ruki who jerked trying to free himself again. "Fuck you! You could have killed her!" He glanced behind him at Daryl and I knew what was coming before it even happened. Ruki first jerked the right side of his body around and brought a swift heel into the man's genitals which worked like a charm. He was out of his hands in seconds and speeding towards Rick and the other man with Daryl cursing and stumbling after him.

"RUKI! Stop!" I wrenched myself away from Glenn and hurried towards the scene. Ruki froze, his fist inches from the other man's jaw and his face turned my way. Immediately his arm dropped to his side and he started towards me, calm, as if nothing had happened. "Are you okay?" He asked and placed his hands on my shoulders while he looked me up and down. Behind him the other man stormed towards us, his face twisted in anger. He looked like he was ready to snap Ruki's neck and I quickly stepped between them just as Rick grabbed the man by the elbow and pulled him back "Shane. Enough. Let it go." He had a hint of warning in his voice. The man, Shane, didn't seem too keen on adhering but he did. "Someone needs to keep that fucking freak on a leash." He snapped and wiped more blood from his face.

Ruki put an arm around my shoulders, gave Shane the finger, and stuck his tongue out at him and I elbowed him in the ribs. "Cut it out." I wasn't in the mood to deal with any of this. "What happened?" I asked as Daryl, looking pissed and holding his balls, sauntered up and the observers did the same yet keeping their distance from Ruki and I as if we were suddenly a danger to them. I guess none of them expected Ruki to have such a violent temper and usually he didn't. I'd never seen him like that before. I'd seen him mad a few times but never to that extent.

Shane glowered up at the man next to me before turned his gaze my way. "It was an accident. When I saw you in the woods I didn't know who you were. I thought you could be a threat to the group and I acted on instinct." He explained. I nodded yet Ruki stiffened beside me. "Liar.." He grumbled. "Either you have no idea how to kill a walker or you're a liar. You don't just smack one in the head with the butt of a gun!" He hissed. I shrugged Ruki's arm off suddenly feeling as if it were too heavy and put a hand to my head, the lump on the back of my skull throbbing. I could swear I was feeling my heartbeat in my head. "He could have shot me." I said. "It could be worse." Everything was starting to get fuzzy again and I took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked, concern written all over his face which was blurring slightly. "Yeah." I shook my head to try to clear the fog but suddenly everything seemed so far away and I was looking at everything from the end of a tunnel- "Oh no. Never mind. I think I'm gonna..-" Everything went dark again and my knees gave out and the last thing I saw was Ruki's face hovering over me. "Destiny!"

…..

**Caleb POV:**

"Allison." I mumbled the name scribbled on the inside of a mostly destroyed notebook I'd discovered in the backpack the girl had clung to even as she slept. It was obviously very important to her and it was rude of me to snoop but I had to find out some information about her even if it was just her name.

I'd been sitting beside the mound of blankets Kirk had lain her out on waiting for her to wake up again but there was no way she was stirring any time soon. "Hmmm Allison…How did you get yourself into that mess?" I wondered out loud staring at her face.

The girl before me was a bloody mess when she'd arrived and the whole group was in an uproar when only three of their people came back. Especially Hope who, when she'd heard a truck was approaching, had waited beside the entrance bouncing on the balls of her feet. She'd watched the three men rush in shouting for help and she'd waited, confused, for her sister and the rest to come in. I'd seen the realization hit her like a ton of bricks and she immediately grabbed Kirk by the arm. "Where's Dezzy? Why didn't she come back with you? Is she…?" Her eyes were frantic searching his face for any clues as to the fate of her older sister. I had to admit that my heart dropped into my stomach when he took a moment to answer.

"She told us to leave with the girl. She and the others distracted a hoard so we could get away." He turned to me and looked down at the girl hanging limp in his arms, her bag swinging from her elbow which remained locked into place and when he tried to take it she groaned and held it tighter. "This ones in really bad shape. She needs to be taken care of immediately." Kirk said and they took her to the room she lay in now and while everyone was rushing around to fetch the needed supplies Hope was underfoot tugging at Kirk. "But Dez is okay, right? Can I use your talkie to speak to her?" She asked already grabbing for the device.

Kirk sighed. "None of us have been able to reach her or anyone else for that matter. His somber face pointed to the ground and Deacon appeared at Hope's side as she took in his words. "No.." She shook her head and I took a step back as Chelsea and Vincent hurried into the room with what few medical supplies we had left. I thanked them as they ushered us out of the room so they could strip the girl and see the extent of the damage and took Hope by the shoulders.

"I'm sure she's just fine. Your sister knows how to take care of herself and she's not alone out there." I wished I was as confident as I sounded as she gazed up at me with tears brimming in her eyes. She nodded slowly and wiped at her eyes before heading off. Deacon made to follow her but I stopped him. "If Destiny doesn't come back she's going to need you. Take care of her."

There had still been no word from Destiny or the rest of the team and spirits in the group were dipping low. The only silver lining at the moment was that this girl was no longer in danger of dying and was well on her way to recovery. At least I saved a life. 'But at what cost?' I pondered as I slipped the notebook back where it belonged.

I sighed and stood, my back stiff and aching from sitting for so long. I needed to stretch my legs so I left the room and headed for the stairs that lead to the roof seeking fresh air. On the way I passed somber faces. It looked as if everyone were already in mourning even Vincent and I stopped in front of him where he sat next to the entrance on the ground, shoulders slumped.

"Out of everyone I thought it would be you spreading smiles and reassuring the others that everything will be fine." I crouched down and stared into his tired eyes. He lifted his knee and rested a massive forearm on it. "Yeah? Its kind of getting to me, Caleb. Something like this hasn't happened in a long while and…" He shook his head. "Just the sudden news..No one expected this." He said.

I pushed my bangs out of my eyes and spoke my mind. "I did." Yeah it wasn't great to say especially at a time like this where everything was uncertain but it was hard to keep sugar coating everything and keeping moral up on my own was exhausting. Plus I could tell Vincent exactly what I was thinking and he wouldn't judge me too harshly.

"What a thing to say." He chuckled softly and shook his head again. "Leave it to you to be brutally honest in a time of emotional distress."

I scratched the back of my neck. "I told her it was risky. I told her it was dangerous." Why couldn't Destiny ever just listen to me? Vincent answered that unspoken question for me. "She's stubborn. Just like you and she knew what had to be done. She knew she had to take a risk for the sake of this group." Vincent sure made her sound like a hero. I, on the other hand, could see her as nothing more than a lost cause. "And now look where its gotten her. Probably dead." I was frustrated and I knew I shouldn't take it out on the older man but I couldn't help it. How was I supposed to stay calm with the lives of three of my own people on the line?

"It could be worse." Vincent peered at me with those wise old eyes of his that told me he'd seen more bloodshed in his lifetime than he cared to. He new how to let go of people. I didn't. "She sent the others back. She took responsibility as a leader and led the threat away from them." He pointed a stern finger at me and wagged it. "That girl is smarter than you give her credit for, Caleb." He took a deep breath, took to his feet and nodded to himself as if making an important decision. "They're alive. I know it. Its high time you started to have a little faith in that little firecracker." Vincent sounded like a proud father in that moment and he headed off. "Time to do some damage control." He clapped his hands and rubbed them together and headed off to spread some light in the dark warehouse and I watched him go reflecting on his words before continuing on my way to the roof.

...

**Daryl POV:**

I wanted to kill that sumbitch.

I'd tried to jus' focus on finding Sophia but Shane was a lil too keen on chattin while I was tryin to focus and ignore him. I didn' wanna talk to him an' he shoulda known better considerin' our most recent altercation.

"I think we should head this way." Shane pointed but I shook my head. Eveyone else was dumb enough to follow Shane but not me. He had the tracking skills of a blind rodent an' I wasn't 'bout to be led into a snake's den by a rattler.

'Shit.' Now I was thinking' bout Mute. I touched my shirt pocket where I kept her last form of communication with me. "Don't die." She said and I hadn't but now she was gone. Dead or…I shook my head not wantin' to consider the possiblities. 'She could be lost an' hurt. Wanderin' around with danger 'round every corner. What if she's injured? What if she's wonderin' where you are an' why you're not there to help her?' His thoughts went wil imaginin' Al layin' in some ditch, her frail body bruised an' broken an' her eyes starin' up at the sky waitin' for him to rescue her. But he couldn' because he didn' even know if she was alive. In his imagination she was givin' up hope and just waitin for death.

"She's dead." I told myself and crouched down to examine a broken stem on a small plant. Someone had come through here.

A twig snapped right behind me an' I turned with my crossbow aimed right between Shane's eyes. "Whoa!" He held his hands up. "Its just me." He said. 'Just you…You're more dangerous than any walker. At least walkers don' sneak up on people and hit them in the head with the butt of a rifle.' I scowled and lowered my weapon.

"I think we should work together, Daryl. I know we had our differences but-" I dropped my crossbow an' shoved him against a tree as hard as I could. I heard the air righ outta his lungs an' he stared at me like I'd lost my damn mind. "Had?" I hissed. "Had?" I shoved a forearm against his throat. "Don' think that just because Mute ain't here no more that I conveniently forgot the bullshit you put her through you piece of shit!" I knew I was snappin'. I'd been so pissed about Al's death and I was just waitin' for this asshole to say something' to set me off.

He held my arm tryin' to pull it off but I wasn' letting' up. "Look. About Mute. I'm sorry I didn' mean for what happened at the CDC to go so far." He wheezed and my anger went through the roof. "Not just the CDC! You think I don' know that you were tormentin' her before then? You think that lil bitemark slipped by me? The only reason I ain' killed you yet is 'cus your Ricks' lil bitchboy!" I applied more pressure until he couldn't breath before releasing him and scoopin' up my crossbow while he sucked in air.

He was gaspin' for air behind me and I put some distance between us tryin' to cool down but suddenly he was on me. He grabbed me by the shoulder, whirled me around, an' clocked me in the jaw sendin' me stumbling backwards. "Bitchboy? You think I'M the bitchboy? Who was leadin' this group before Rick came huh? Me. If anyone is a bitchboy its you!" He jabbed a finger at me and kicked me in the stomach which put me on the ground. "Always following after that useless little Mute girl and getting nothing for it." He kicked me in the ribs an' I grunted. "Or did ya? Is that why you kept up with the 'good guy Daryl act? We all knew you were a piece of shit before she came along. Did you fool her so good she let ya between her legs?" He asked, his tone vicious. He kicked me again an' I could taste blood.

"Was the pussy so good she turned you into her obedient little puppy? Damn, I shoulda gotten a taste of that when I had the chance!" He grunted and I could see he was gonna kick me again but I blocked his foot with my arm which hurt like a bitch but I took it an' made it to my feet an' tackled his sorry ass to the ground an' started wailin' on him like I'd been wantin' to. Each time my fist connected with his face I felt a sense of sataisfaction an' I didn' let up until I was sure he couln' say another fuckin 'word. "I swear to you if you ever say another word 'bout Mute I don' give a shit who says or does what 'bout it. I'll kill you." I heaved myself off of him an' picked up my crossbow again an' headed back to the group. I was done lookin' for Sophia for one day.

I made sure Shane walked in front of me the whole way not stupid enough to show him back even for a second. Knowin' him he'd shoot me in the back, kill me, an' tell Rick that a walker got me an' he would fuckin' believe it too.

When we finally got back, Rick looked at both of us an' I could see the question comin' before it left his mouth. "What happened?"

Shane spat out some blood an' shook his head. "Misunderstanding." He said and walked off to the RV. With any luck the jap would take it as a challenge an' finish him off doin' my job for me. I was startin' to get the feelin' that one of these days I was gonna put Shane down for good like the rabid animal he was.

Rick watched him go an' I started off in the direction where Andrea an' Lori sat with Carol, Dale, an' the others obviously havin' a heated conversation 'bot somethin' but Rick stopped me. "Daryl. What happened?" He was usin' his strict cop tone on me but I wasn' havin' it. "You need to keep your fuckin' dog on a leash. He's not the man you think you know so I'd suggest you keep an eye on him." I jabbed a finger into Rick's chest and stared him down.

"What are you talking about? Daryl what happened back there?" He asked again. "Didn' yea hear the man? Misunderstanding." I shook my head and took a seat next to the others. It was feelin' like they were the only sane one's left.

…..

**Dale POV:**

"He's not dangerous! He was obviously upset that someone he was close to could have been killed by Shane's rash actions." Most of the group had taken the young Asian man's actions to mean he was a loose cannon. As if they didn't have any loose cannons in their own group but no. They'd rather focus on someone who chose to help them acting out than some of their own that had reputations for having bad tempers. Shane was a prime example. If it weren't for him they wouldn't even be having this conversation.

The man in question had gone back out to search for Sophia with Daryl who seemed hell bent on the mission. Something about him had changed since they'd escaped the CDC. Something had snapped and I could guess that he was using the mission to find Sophia as a way to cope with the loss. To keep his mind off of it but going out with Shane probably wouldn't be the best for it but hopefully the two could maintain some type of teamwork.

"I still think we should keep an eye on him. 'Dez' doesn't seem too off the wall but…What was his name again?" Lori looked to Glenn who rolled his eyes at the implication that because he was Asian he must know the man's name. He did though because with a sigh he hooked his thumbs in his belt. "Ruki."

"Right. Ruki." Her face said the name tasted strange on her tongue. "He could possibly be dangerous. He was so quick to fly off the handle." She said. I was getting tired of this. The man in question was in the RV with Dez and refused to let any of them near her unless he deemed them safe. "Like you wouldn't do the same if you heard someone from a random group had seriously injured Carl or Rick." I stared at her and she looked like she was ready to retaliate but stopped herself. I knew what she was going to say without her having to 'that's different.' but it wasn't and she knew it. When it came to the people we care about there is no telling how far we will go to protect them and fight for them. I spared Andrea a glance but so far she'd stayed out of the conversation.

I knew she'd be on my side. I could tell she was thinking about Amy. She seemed to know I was looking her way and she met my gaze momentarily before dropping it again. She still hadn't forgiven me for not letting her stay behind at the CDC. Well she could just stay mad. I wasn't willing to lose her."I think what we all need to focus on is Carol and Sophia. These newcomers are not the enemy. They saved Rick and Daryl's lives." I turned my attention back to the conversation at hand.

Everyone gave wary glances to one another and I threw my hands up in the air out of frustration as Daryl approached figuring they wouldn't listen to much of what I had to say and went into the RV to see how our newcomers were faring.

Ruki was sitting cross legged on the table staring at the girl laid out on the booth again and his head snapped up when he heard me come in. "Its just me." I said and didn't move until he slumped again and his eyes returned to the sleeping girl who, when I came closer to see how she was doing, was twitching and every now and again her lips would move as if she were trying to speak but no words came out. "She's having a bad dream." Ruki mumbled and reached down and smoothed a hand over her hair. "I can't keep her safe in her dreams.." He sounded horribly depressed.

I glanced to Carl who was sitting next to her. He seemed pretty fascinated by the pair because he would stare at Dez for a moment, and then at Ruki, and then back to Dez as if he were trying to figure something out. He'd been putting on a hell of a front since he'd heard the news that Mute wasn't with them any longer. On the outside he acted like nothing had changed but when I looked into his eyes there was no mistaking the turmoil within.

"How are you?" I asked feeling sorry for him. His only friends in the group were gone and he looked lost. He shrugged and hung his head. "Fine I guess." He said mumbled. There was more he wanted to say and I could tell so I pushed him a little. "You must be worried about Sophia and Mute." I said and cocked my head to the side to get a better look at his down turned face. "Not Mute." He sighed. "I miss her but I know she's okay. She's strong and smart. Sophia doesn't know how to protect herself." He said and it left me in shock. The way Carl was talking sounded like he'd lost hope in the little girl.

"Sophia is smart too. She knows that we'll find her. I'm sure she's found the best hiding place which is why we haven't yet." I tried to sound optimistic and hopeful but Carl didn't look like he was buying it. "I just have a bad feeling…" he said and I could tell he was done having this conversation because he changed the subject and stared at Ruki.

"Do you love her?" He asked and the man's head snapped around with a look of horror on his face. "What?" He asked as if the question was the most off the wall think he'd ever heard in his life. I'd been wondering the same thing. The way he acted towards her was obviously caring even in his own way. "Do you love her?" Carl sat forward with his knees on his elbows with his hands clasped between them. "You look at her like my dad used to look at my mom before.." He motioned around them. "All this."

Ruki's mouth hung open for a moment before shrugging. "I don't know." He said casually. Carl smiled and shook his head. "Plus the way you went after Shane after finding out what he did…Dad says that love makes people crazy."

"I'm not crazy." Ruki said and tapped a finger on the top of his skull. " I was just using my head. Dezzy and I answer to our leader, Caleb and he would kick my ass if I didn't assert myself and show people that hurting one of our group was a bad idea….I think. Or maybe I just went crazy because Dez is the only person in our group who is my friend. We all survive together and support each other when we have to but Dezzy.." He let out a long sigh and stared at her as her fist clenched and she twitched again. "She's special. She actually cares about me." He shook his head. "She cares about everyone even if she doesn't show it but I know…" He smiled. "I know." Carl chuckled. "Sounds like love to me."

"Hope."

Carl and I stared at the girl who spoke only to see she was still sleeping. "What did she say?" I asked. Ruki suddenly looked very sad. "Hope." He answered and noticed how confused both Carl and I were. "Hope is her sister. I rescued them with a few others shortly after things got really bad. She must be really worried about her." He leaned down and touched her hair again. "Shhhh. She's safe now. You both are." He whispered into her ear. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. Either of you." The moment felt extremely intimate and Carl and I exchanged awkward glances.

Suddenly we weren't alone and Ruki was on his feet, his eyes drilling into Shane who stood just inside the doorway, his hands up looking like he'd just had the shit beaten out of him and I'd seen what he'd looked like after Ruki had gotten his hands on him. Shane looked a hundred times worse now "Easy." He said but Ruki didn't look too keen on listening to him. "I just came to apologize for the misunderstanding and see how Destiny is doing."

I could see Ruki stiffen at the mention of the girl's name. "Don't even say her name!" The words came out as a growl and I moved in from of Carl in case fists started flying in the cramped space. "Hey, maybe we should take it easy." I said in attempts to keep things from escalating. "Things are bad enough as they are. We don't need people fighting on top of everything."

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and I looked to see the girl attempting to sit up. "Oi, Ruki. You're being rude. Again." She grumbled and suddenly I could see all of the hostility melt off of the man as he turned and sat next to her. "Are you okay?" He asked and took her head in his hands to examine the lump on the back of her skull. She pushed his hands away and scowled. "I'm getting really tired of being asked that. I'm fine." She said and shooed him out of the booth to stand up.

"Hey. You're awake. I was just telling your…." Shane gave Ruki a curious look. "Friend here that I came to apologize for..You know." He looked uncomfortable and yet genuinely sorry for what he'd done. Dez shook her head. "Don't be. I've made plenty of mistakes. No one is perfect. You just thought you were doing what was best for your group." She made to put her hand on the table in an attempt to look casual but her depth perception must have been a little off kilter because she missed it by a few centimeters and almost fell. She quickly righted herself and looked around while clearing her throat. "Oops. I..Uh..Meant to do that."

Carl laughed at her and she grinned around at everyone. "God, you could cut the tension in here with a knife. Am I right?"

…..

** Okay well how was it? I know its shorter than the other chapters but I have to get back into the swing of things. In the next chapter we go on a long trip through Mute's brain, we've got some bonding time with a few characters, and maybe some action? How does that sound, huh? Well hopefully there are still people around reading this so let me me know what ya think. I miss your reviews! Expect an update within the next week or so okie dokie? Until next time! Peace and much love!**

-MeRci.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary**: Hey everybody! Told you I'd update! I meant to do it last night but the servers were all wonky so here it is now! =) In this chapter Mute's dreaming up romance, dancing, and zombies! Also Dez is a bit restless, Daryl gets treed, tensions are rising in the warehouse, and bad news is on the horizon. Read on and enjoy! 3

**Disclaimer**: I do not own right to the walking dead or its fabulous cast of characters. I just like turning them into my pawns. Muwahaha.

...

**Mute Pov**:

'I know this place.'

Of course I knew it. This was the field I'd plopped down in when Daryl had found out his brother had been on the roof and had bitched me out for following me. For some reason this place was comforting. There was no death here. No arguing. No pain. It was just a place. A peaceful place where the sun was bright, the breeze was soft and cooling, and there was no thought of danger.

I took a deep breath of the fresh air and looked down at myself. I was neither broken nor bloody. It was almost like everything was as it was before the outbreak. I smiled and stared up at the clear blue sky and relished in the sun's warming rays. It felt good. Too good. 'What's the catch?' I wondered and looked around me. Nothing to my sides but green lush grass and flowers swaying with the breeze.

"Al!" I heard an all too familiar voice call out to me and I looked into the distance to see..No..That couldn't be right. He wouldn't be here if this was the world I knew before the undead ruined everything. 'I wouldn't be here either..I'd still be on my way to Florida with the rest of my family.' What was going on? The man jogged towards me with a crossbow slung over his shoulder. "Daryl?" I clapped my hands over my mouth realizing I'd spoken. That was strange. I felt no need to keep quiet. 'This is too fucking weird..'

"What are ya doin' just sittin' here? You're late." Daryl wore a huge smile on his face and I stared up at him in confusion. "Late? Late for what?" I asked. He sighed and held a hand out to me. A clean hand. I suddenly noticed that he wasn't as filthy as I'd known him to be and his crossbow was gone. He was wearing a crisp three piece suit and he was cleanly shaved. 'Yup. This is definitely too fucking weird for me.' "C'mon!" He urged.

I decided to just go with it because I was obviously dreaming so I might as well see where this was going right? I took his hand and he helped me to my feet. My feet clad in powder blue flats with straps that wrapped neatly around my ankles. 'Whoa.' To match the flats I wore a knee length strapless dress that fit me like a glove. In my entire life I had never worn anything like it. I wasn't a fan of fancy attire but whatever.

Daryl tugged on my hand and I looked up and the scenery had changed. No longer were we in the field but in a huge ballroom filled with people. Some of the faces I placed immediately. Rick and Lori swept around us dancing and laughing and staring into each other's eyes lovingly. Andrea was giggling off to the side with Amy at her side, both of them looking stunning in matching red dresses with their hair pouring over their shoulders elegantly. I even spotted Dale sitting with Carl and a young boy who looked extremely familiar but before I could place him Daryl pulled me against his chest. "May I have this dance?" He asked with an amused twinkle in his eye.

Before I could answer he clasped an arm around my waist and clasped one of my hands and placed it around his broad shoulders with a smile. "I can't dance!" I protested but he didn't seem to be listening and he swept me in a circle and we began twirling around the dance floor. "I think you can do anythin' you put your mind to." He grinned from ear to ear and I turned my face away, embarrassed at the strange situation. We swept around a couple that I did not expect. Carol and Ed looked as if they were the happiest pair in the world as he dipped her and she laughed. It was such a pure and lovely sound. Even my parents looked like they were having the time of their lives. 'My parents…?' I had to take second glance to make sure it was them.

"You're distracted." Daryl was slightly frowning and he shook his head and pulled me tight against him. "I want you to look only at me tonight." His voice was hushed against my ear and I felt my face heat up. He took a step back, spun me, and I was pulled flush against him once more. I stared up at him in amazement. I had no idea he could be so graceful. 'He's not. This is a dream.' I had to remind myself.

There was a tug on my dress from behind and I looked over my shoulder to see the extremely familiar face I'd been trying to place a few minutes ago. "No. Don't." Daryl took my chin in his hand and turned my face back towards him. "Please." He sounded like he was begging me but I couldn't. I just couldn't. I pushed him away and turned to the boy again, not believing my eyes. There was no possible way this was happening. "Noah.." I stared at his smiling face.

He'd grown but I knew him the instant our eyes met. "You look beautiful, sis." He said and extended a hand to me, his smile growing. "Will you dance with me?" He asked and I could do nothing but stare in awe. A firm hand grasped my shoulder and Daryl shook his head trying to pull me away. "Al, Please. Don't go with him." He was definitely pleading with me but I shook off his hand and reached out to Noah.

The second he took my hand the music that had been gentle and flitting turned to something deeper something darker yet still beautiful in an eerie way. I allowed him to lead me away from Daryl though I could hear him calling out to me faintly. It was as if all other sounds but the music were fading away and I could see nothing but Noah.

He led me to the middle of the dance floor and we began to dance, slow and steady at first but as the tempo picked up a little so did our movements. "Noah. How are you here?" I asked, hesitantly. He chuckled. "Why does it matter? I'm here with you now and that's all that matters." He sounded so confident and soothing but at the same time there was something beneath it all that rubbed me the wrong way.

As we moved I noticed my feet were doing all the work. My body was on some sort of weird dancing autopilot and moved without any direction from me. "Noah. I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe when you went missing. I should have never let you go off alone." I could feel tears beginning to well up in my eyes seeing him like this. This is what he would have looked like if he were still alive. He would have grown into a handsome young man like the one before me.

"Hush. There's no need for that kind of talk." He spun me gently and we twirled around effortlessly then he pulled me close and I laid my head on his chest. From behind me I could hear Daryl again faintly. "Al. Come back. You belong with me. Not him." He was saying but he sounded so far away. Noah's voice though rang clear as a bell. "She's mine. She's always been mine." His tone had taken on a darker sound and when I opened my eyes the doors of the ballroom were swung wide open and in the doorway were hundreds of walkers. I tried to pull away from Noah. I had to warn everyone. No one seemed to have noticed them but me. My body would not cooperate and instead I began to dance again hopping and spinning as if I didn't have a care in the world while in my head I was screaming at everyone to run.

I watched as the creatures walked in, flesh and blood dropping around them as they approached people and suddenly everyone was pairing up with the undead as dance partners. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! RUUNNN!' I wanted to shout but my lips remained sealed.

The music picked up in a loud string number that drowned out everything. Even Noah who was speaking to me but no words reached my ears.

We all moved in unison swaying and moving in time with the music until the music turned frantic and the walkers took their partners and suddenly blood was everywhere as the people I knew were torn apart and devoured. Intestines dropped to the floor and limbs were tossed about like Frisbees. Blood gushed like fountains and screams mixed with the music suddenly deafening yet Noah and I continued to dance as if nothing were happening around us.

I could see Daryl Running towards us from the other side of the room, his face full of terror and his hand outstretched towards me. "AL!" He shouted for me and suddenly he was caught by the arms by two walkers. He didn't even seem to notice them. His eyes were glued to mine as he was dragged towards Noah and I and suddenly Noah let me go. I tore my gaze from Daryl to see Noah's face was rotting away, his jaw fully exposed yet his eyes still twinkling with glee and his grin still in place. He turned to Daryl as he was thrown at his feet and Noah chuckled, a horrible gurgling sound as I stood, frozen, and unable to do anything.

"Al." Daryl was pleading with me with his eyes to help him but I could do nothing but watch as Noah bent down and tore out his throat.

Blood sprayed all over me and suddenly my body was my own again and I dropped to my knees, a scream tearing from my throat so long and loud it burned like it was on fire.

…..

**Dez POV:**

It was well after dark and the others had fallen asleep some time ago yet I couldn't bring myself to rest myself. I tried, don't get me wrong, but every time I closed my eyes my mind would start racing with all kinds of thoughts. I used to have the problem all the time before the outbreak and it would take me hours to fall asleep and sometimes I would just give up and stay awake until my body couldn't take it anymore.

Even though Ruki insisted on me sleeping in the RV I'd refused and had chosen to sleep in the bed of the truck we'd been rescued with. Of course he'd done the same and beside me I could hear his even breathing and in the moonlight I could make out his chest rising and falling gently. He looked so peaceful when he slept. As if there was nothing wrong in the world. I knew I could use some sleep but my brain and body just weren't having it. Even if I'd had a hell of a day.

I sat up as slowly and quietly as possible knowing that even the smallest sound would wake my companion. I was careful as I stood, swung my legs over the side of the bed, and hopped out and then waited for any sound of him moving around. Once I was sure he was still fast asleep I reached in and picked up my bow and arrows which he'd held for me while I was indisposed and then a glint of metal caught my eye and I scooped it up. Cody's machete. A pang of guilt hummed through my chest but I shook my head and told myself I'd done the right thing. Even if it didn't seem like it. What other choice did I have?

I looked around at the cars that the others slept in and wondered if any of them were having any trouble with roaming thoughts, looking back on their actions thus far and wondering if they were right. Everyone made mistakes yet somehow mine seemed like it was the worst but that was probably just be being a selfish bitch. Everyone had to deal with things they weren't proud of. 'Yours can't possibly be the worst.' I told myself and decided to get my mind off of things and focus on something else.

Setting my weapons down I dropped to the ground and began doing pushups until my arms and shoulders screamed. Then I flipped onto my back and did a couple dozen sit-ups. I had a routine every day to work out to keep my body in tip top condition. It kept me strong and was a nice distraction. When my muscles ached and my body felt as if I'd put it through hell I didn't think about my many mistakes and my short comings. All there was was pain and that was something I could deal with.

On my feet again I scooped up my weapons again and looked to the woods. I could take a walk and clear my head. Maybe search a few areas for the lost little girl knowing that until she was located there was no going back to the warehouse. Hope must be worried sick about me. I could only imagine her face when she realized I wasn't with the group that returned. She couldn't even reach me because of the broken walkies so she must be thinking the worst. The girl needed to be found and quickly so I could get back to my sister and reassure her that I was fine. Hope had gotten stronger since they'd been welcomed into Caleb's group but I didn't know if she could handle me dying.

I took a flashlight from one of the duffle bags left in the truck, popped some batteries in, and tested it before heading towards the woods, stepping lightly so as not to alert anyone who might not be asleep.

"Goin' somewhere?" I hadn't even noticed Daryl leaning against the hood of the truck and I wondered how long he'd been standing there. I shined my light as the ground and sighed. "No..Well..I don't know. I was thinking about going on a little search. Comb a few areas since I can't sleep." I shrugged.

He pushed himself off the truck and approached me with his crossbow hanging at his side. It seemed like he didn't go anywhere without it. Much like me and my bow. It was nice to know someone else had a similar mindset as I did. "Alone?" He asked. "What about your guard dog?" He jabbed a finger towards the bed of the truck where Ruki slept. I rolled my eyes. Even since the incident with Shane he hadn't left my side for a single moment. Even when I gone to the bathroom in the RV he'd stood just outside the door. It was getting pretty irritating to have him constantly hovering over me like a worrying mother. "He's been a little…Irritating today." I admitted. I knew he was only doing it because he cared and wanted to keep me safe but I'd never been the one who needed protection. Sure, he'd saved my life but I'd been able to take care of myself pretty well so far.

Daryl chuckled. "More like smotherin'."

"He just worries is all." I shifted my weight and stared off into the trees wondering of Daryl was going to stop me from going. Rick probably wouldn't be too happy with him if he just let her wonder off like she was hoping to. "Looks to me like you can take care of yourself just fine. He should start worryin' 'bout himself more 'fore it gets him killed." He said and I nodded. "Yeah." I mumbled and brushed by him headed for the tree line. I stopped just inside when I heard footsteps behind me. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Goin' with you." He answered. "Why?" He'd just said I could take care of myself. He laughed and walked ahead of me. "Because I ain't gonna be on the recievin' end of a broken English ass chewin' and his fists of fury if ya don' come back."

I stared after him, dumbfounded and he turned to call out to me. "Ya comin' or what?"

We looked for about an hour before we decided to take a break. We'd been immersed in silence, both of us keeping our ears and eyes peeled for any clue or sound that could signal danger but it seemed like we were utterly alone in those woods. Only the occasional hoot of an owl or the scampering sound of small nocturnal animals in search of food.

Daryl took a seat at the base of a tree and wiped his forehead. It was an insanely hot night and I felt slimy with a thin layer of sweat that coated me from head to toe. I took a seat as well, my head beginning to throb again. I was kind of getting used to it by now.

"I didn't wanna say nothin' in front of the others but I noticed ya'll were one short. The kid didn't make it." Daryl sure had a strange way of starting a conversation. I didn't particularly want to think about it but I answered him anyways, my fingers grazing the handle of the machete I'd tucked into my belt. "Yeah."

He nodded, his eyes fixated on something to his left. "Sorry." He said. I shook my head and took a deep breath. "Don't be. It was my fault." I admitted with a chest heavy with shame and regret. He looked at me, his eyebrows drawn together. "How do ya figure? Did ya toss him at a walker?" He asked.

"No but I might as well have." I sighed and looked around at our dark and eerie surroundings. "I pushed for the trip into town. No one thought it was safe. They all wanted me to change my mind." I didn't know why I was talking about it to Daryl, a stranger, but it felt good to talk about it in a weird way. "Why didn't you?" He asked, his eyes still fixed on me.

"We needed supplies." I raised a my knees, rested my arms on them and hung my head. "The walker population has been increasing quickly in this area. The dead from the more populated cities traveling this way in search of food. If we waited any longer we'd be stuck, unable to go outside. We'd all die of starvation." Saying it out loud now I felt stupid. I'd known the risks but I'd pushed for it anyways. I was such a fool.

Daryl laughed and I glared at him. "What are ya, stupid?" He shook his head at me and laughed again. "You did the right thing. Just 'cus someone died don't change anythin'." In some weird way I admired his brutal honesty. It was comforting. "If you say so." I mumbled and got to my feet feeling as if I'd rested enough. We had a few hours before the sun would come up and I didn't want to waste anymore time. Sophia needed to be located and I needed to get back to the warehouse. I was starting to feel homesick.

Daryl suddenly froze and his head swiveled to the left and he cocked his head. I scurried to my feet just as he did and I followed his gaze but could see nothing and I wasn't risking flashing my light on it in case of walkers. There was a rustling and the closer it got the most steps back Daryl and I took. "I think we got some company." He said and raised his crossbow. The groaning and hissing started and Daryl shot the oncoming walker but movement next to him caught my attention and I shouldered my bow and quickly sliced the head from a walker ready to take a chunk out of him.

He reloaded and I watched around us as figures began to stumble in from all sides. "Shit. How are there so many of them?" I wondered out loud and Daryl took aim again. "Just like ya said. Their comin' from the cities and they look hungry." He took another shot and started to reload. "This is baaaaaaaad." I groaned and I backed up against him as the walkers began to close in.

…..

**Hope POV:**

"What if she doesn't come back, Deacon?" I asked the man holding me tightly. He hadn't left my side since the news came back that Dezzy and the rest were still out there. He ran his fingers through my hair attempting to soothe me. "Don't think like that. Your sister is the craziest person I know BUT she's also one of the toughest. She's probably on her way back right now and I know for a fact she wouldn't want you worrying about her like this."

I sighed knowing he was right and gently pushed him off of me. "I need to do something before I go crazy." I told him and stood. He nodded in understanding. "Just know if you need to talk I'm here for you." He said and his eyes told me what his lips never needed to. 'I love you.'

I left the room and entered the large open area and scanned the warehouse for someone who needed help with something. Anything to keep my hands busy and my mind occupied. I spotted Tracy and Linda giving Chelsea a hand with a pile of dirty dishes from dinner hovering over a basin scrubbing away. I made my way over to them.

Linda spotted me first and I heard her sigh as I crouched down next to her. "How are you holding up?" She asked. She looked concerned for me like my mother used to when I was upset. I shrugged trying not to think about my mom. It had been so long since I'd seen her and sometimes I would lay awake at night thinking about the days when she and I would watch movies curled up in bed together while she stroked my hair or when we used to gang up on Dezzy, playfully picking on her for her anti social habits. "Okay I guess. I just need something to do to keep myself busy. Mind if I help?" I asked.

Tracy nodded eagerly. "Yeah. You can take over for me. My back is killing me." The woman stood and massaged her lower back while her mom rolled her eyes. "She's been complaining the whole time." She chuckled and Tracy sat off to the side. I took the rag she was using. "Thanks."

Tracy laughed. "Don't thank me. You're doing me a favor." She said and I went to work scrubbing away at the grime on the cups and utensils. Everyone was quiet but I could tell they wanted to say something. It was heavy in the air and finally someone did.

I glanced up when Chelsea touched my hand gently, here smile soft and her eyes full of warmth. "Your sister is really brave and so are you. If she knew how well you were handling this she would be very proud." She said and I wanted to cry. Dezzy would definitely be proud of me for not breaking down like I probably would have if this had happened a few months ago. I guess I'd gotten stronger.

"She's right." Linda nodded, her eyes still on her work. "Destiny has done a lot for us. I think I can speak for the majority of the group when I say we miss her. You two brought a certain light to this place when you came."

I couldn't help but smile at their kind works. Even Tracy spoke up. "Heck, she risked her life for a complete stranger. I can't say I would do the same even with orders from Caleb."

I nodded, suddenly remembering the girl that had been brought to them and I looked to Chelsea. "How is she anyways?" I asked. I'd only caught a glimpse of her when she'd been brought in. I was too concerned with Dez to really pay attention to anything else. Chelsea shrugged. "She okay. Still hasn't really woken up for more than a few minutes at a time and when she does she just mumbles, moves around a bit, and falls back asleep. If you want, after we finish up here I need to check on her, you can come see her."

I thought about it. I didn't have anything else to do and maybe I could be of some use. "Sure." I said and we continued about our business until we were finished and Linda and Tracy offered to put the dishes back where they belonged. Chelsea thanked them and then lead me to the room in the very back of the warehouse. My guess was they put her in there to keep her away from most of the noise so she could get plenty of rest.

When I walked in and saw the girl lying on the makeshift bed made from blankets my chest filled with sadness. This girl must have been through one hell of an ordeal to come out looking like she did. "She looks so frail." I mumbled as Chelsea took a seat next to her. She nodded slowly. "She probably hasn't eaten for a while."

She leaned over and pulled back the blanket covering the girl and checked out the stitches in her side. 'God..What have you been through?' I wondered looking at the gruesome wounds. Chelsea seemed satisfied with what she saw and examined the brace on the girl's leg. "Hmm..This can probably come off soon." She muttered to herself before looking to me and pointing at a table next to me cluttered with bloody rags, clean rags, and different medical supplies. "Can you hand me a rag and that alcohol?" She asked.

I nodded and quickly fetched them for her. "It's only been a day but she looks a lot better than she did when she got here." I said as I handed the items over. Chelsea smiled taking the compliment seeing as it was her handiwork that had the girl in such good shape. "Yup. Its amazing what a little TLC can do for someone. At least if she wakes up she'll be able to move around." She said as if it was no big deal while I was left in awe of Chelsea's ability to help people. She truly was a gentle and kind person.

I took a glance at the leg brace. "Is her leg broken?" I asked, unaware of the severity of her injuries. Chelsea shook her head. "No. I think she's just got a small fracture in her thigh but that should heal in anywhere from a couple weeks to a month." She applied the alcohol to the rag and began dabbing at the scratches, scrapes, and the other wounds scattered on the girl's body and suddenly her expression turned to one of sadness.

"Sometimes she cries. Sometimes only for a few minutes and occasionally for a whole hour." She smoothed her hand over the girl's hair and sighed. "She must be in a lot of pain." I said crouching next to the girl and getting a good look at her. Occasionally her brow would furrow and she would move her head to the side and grumble but her eyes never opened.

"I think her pain is more emotional than physical. She says names in her sleep. Daryl and Noah mostly. Sometimes others." Chelsea looked so sad as if she understood exactly what the girl was feeling. I touched her shoulder and looked into her face. "I think she must be really strong to survive this long."

From the doorway came the sound of someone clearing their throat and I turned to see the two people I least expected to be standing there. "I don't know. She looks pretty weak to me." Rebecca and Alicia were sisters probably from a wealthy family because they held that air about them that they were better than everyone. Tracy and Linda were obviously well off before the outbreak but they kept their humanity about them. These two were Paris Hilton wannabes with the worst attitudes Hope had ever encountered other than Jackson but at least Jackson knew how to pull it together when he was needed.

Rebecca was the older one with long black hair that reached to her slender waist and sharp blue eyes that watched everything and everyone with extreme judgment. She was definitely the instigator of the two. Alicia, who was slightly shorter than her sister who was all legs had dark brown hair that she kept short and it framed her heart shaped face in a way that made her look like a little angel and honestly she wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for her sister. She seemed to just go along with whatever Rebecca did or said. If she was on her own she might just be a good person.

Rebecca crossed her arms over her ample chest and peered at Hope with mischief in her eyes. "Yeah. She doesn't look like much and she's not very pretty." Alicia frowned. "I was hoping she would be pretty." She said.

Chelsea shook her head. "I think she's very pretty. She has the biggest brown eyes..Kind of like a little fawn." Her face lit up and she smiled. "I think that's what I'll call her since I don't know her name." She sounded so innocent and seemed to not even care that the sisters were there.

I scowled at the two girls wanting to ask what the fuck was wrong with them. They had an injured girl to take care of and all they cared about was whether she was pretty or not? Instead I asked "What do you want? I doubt you came to help. All you two ever do is complain and try to cause problems." It was too true. These girls didn't contribute anything to the group. The only reason they were allowed to stay was because Caleb didn't have the heart to just kick innocent people out into the cruel place this world had become. 'Innocent. Right.'

Alicia pouted. "How mean! We came to say how sorry we are for your loss." She said and looked to her dear sister who had to have talked her into this. "I haven't lost anyone." I said quickly hoping they'd go away soon. Something told me this wasn't just an innocent visit however.

"Ah, denial. Tsk tsk." Rebecca shook her head solemnly and I rolled my eyes. "Look. If you're just here to rile me up you can just go away. I have enough to deal with without you two adding to the load." I grumbled. I really wasn't in the mood for any of this. Why the hell did these two feel the need to pick at open wounds?

Rebecca sighed dramatically. "I understand." She said. "I don't know what I would do if I was in your shoes. The only person in the world who protected me from everything and everybody all the time suddenly dying." She looked at her nails, saw something she didn't like, and began picking at it absently as if she had no clue that she was being a bitch.

"I'd be terrified…And heartbroken." Alicia sniffled following her sister's lead. I glanced to Chelsea who was being quiet as a mouse. I understood though and I didn't really expect her to stand up to these two. She was the biggest avoider of conflict I'd ever met. I, however, could feel my blood beginning to boil. "I doubt it." I snapped. "You two only care about yourselves and my sister is NOT dead." It felt good to say it. As if saying it made it a reality.

Alicia put a hand to her chest. "Ouch." She grumbled but Rebecca set a hand on a cocked hip and fired back immediately. "We're no different than your dear departed sissy. She might have played nice with everyone else but I could see right through her. She's let us all die if it meant saving you." She smirked. "Which I totally don't understand because..I mean..You're kind of useless." She sounded so nonchalant and I wanted to punch her in her smug fucking face.

Chelsea finally spoke up but kept her eyes focused on the girl she was tending to. "You don't know what you're talking about. Dez would never do that. She cares about all of us." She said firmly. Rebecca scowled. "Shut up, sasquatch."

I'd had enough and got to my feet. I'd never been a fan of violence or conflict but these two could make Gandhi snap on them. "Don't talk to her like that! And for the record, Dez is NOTHING like you. She's twice the woman you'll ever be."

Rebecca didn't look phased by my sudden outburst and tapped her chin with a long, skinny finger. "Hmm..I think you're right. She isn't anything like me. See..I'm alive because I wasn't stupid enough to go into a city full of zombies."

I stepped close to her, my fists clenched and I had to take a moment to calm myself before speaking again. "You're mistaking stupidity for courage. You would never go into the city because you don't have the spine for it, but I'll make sure when she gets back Dez gets your message." I pushed Rebecca aside with a little more force than I'd initially planned and glanced over my shoulder before walking away. "I'd lock myself in my room when she gets back if I were you."

…..

** Daryl POV:**

"Any plans?" I asked Dez as she backed into me and I took another shot. She had her bow in her hands and was quick as lightning firin' off shots, pullin' two or three arrows from her quiver in a few seconds time. She was definitely good with her bow but I didn' have time to admire her skill as an archer. She cleared the ones closest to us with my help and then pointed to the tree we'd been restin' next to. "I'll give you a boost and then you pull me up. Go!" She shouted an' I didn' waste another second as she crouched and cupped her hands together.

I didn' think she could do it but she pushed me up with a grunt an' I grabbed a thick branch, pulled myself up an' quickly reached down for her. She stopped to shoulder her bow again an' take off another couple of heads. "C'mon!" I yelled as three approached from behind an' she kicked the one closest to her, took off one head cleanly, sliced another's legs off, an' quickly jumped to grab my hand. She braced her feet against the tree trunk an' pushed off of it while I pulled which made it easier an' she took the spot next to me on the branch, both of us breathin' heavy as walkers packed themselves around the trunk reachin' for us, teeth gnashin'.

"Hoooolllly shit that was close!" She exhaled sharply an' stared down at the walkers tryin' to get at us. There was at least two dozen. I shook my head. "Treed by damn walkers." I grumbled, agitated. "Now what?" I said an' leaned against the thick trunk. "Hmmmm. Wanna make out?" My jaw dropped at the chick's casual question. "What the fuck?" I asked an' she laughed an' pointed at me. "I'm kidding, hillbilly. Lighten up." She shook her head an' glanced at the walkers again. "The way I see it we have two options. We can probably take out the rest of 'em with the last of your bolts and my arrows, hop down, and take the rest of them out with the machete ooooorrrrr we could wait until people notice us missing." She sounded so careless as if we didn' just get attacked.

This girl was weird. So far all I could tell from her is that she had a serious side an' a very strange loony toon side that felt a lil' odd considerin' I'd just seen her act like a badass GI Jane with bow an' machete. At the same time I was kinda relieved she had a light hearted side that liked to laugh. She was a lil comic relief in a shitty situation.

I loaded a bolt in my crossbow. "I don't have many left. How 'bout you?" She shrugged an' pulled an arrow back, one eye closed, an' took aim. "Enough to get us out of this probably." She looked ready to go. I wondered for a moment how long she'd had to be like this, how she'd adapted to the world 'round her so quickly. I knew people who still hadn' adjusted. "We can try." I said not feelin' like bein' stuck up here any longer. I certainly didn' wanna be rescued by anyone.

"Righty-o, Ranger Joe." She said an' without a second of hesitation began lettin' arrows fly. She really was quick. It was like it was second nature to her. She was droppin' walkers like flies an' I felt the need to compete with her for some strange reason.

I quickly followed suit an' in a few minutes there were only a handful of the fuckers left. At my side, Dez stood up on the branch an' I glanced to her with an eyebrow raised. 'What are ya doin' now?' I wondered but she didn' leave me in the dark for long. "Stay here and keep 'em distracted for me." She said an' without waitin' for confirmation she walked to the end of the branch, swung her bow 'round her shoulders, an' hopped to another branch from a neighborin' tree, wated to make sure the walkers were still focused on me, an' dropped to the ground landin' in a graceful crouch.

I watched with mild amusement as the girl charged towards the walkers, machete in hand an' started takin' off heads an' limbs with each swing. She wasn' as good with the machete as she was with her bow but she was definitely getting' the job done. I waited for my chance an' dropped to the ground to help her out, bashin' in heads with my crossbow.

It didn' take us long to dispatch the walkers that were left an' when we finished I wiped sweat from my forehead. 'God damn it's a hot fuckin' night.' I started retrievin' my bolts an' Dez tried to salvage what she could of her arrows. Most of 'em weren' able to be saved but she managed to get a few back. She placed her foot on the forehead of a walker an' gently pulled an arrow from its eye socket an' made a face when she noticed the eyeball was still attached. "Ew." She muttered an' I watched her try to shake it off. "Ewwwwww." She shook it harder flingin' blood with each swing until it came dislodged an' the next moment somethin' wet hit me dead in the cheek, slid down, an' dropped to my feet. I looked down at the eye an' then back at Dez who I could tell was tryin' not to laugh. "Oops." She slid the arrow back into her quiver an' I just shook my head at her. 'Wow.'

"Aaaaaaaaaand I only have seven arrows left. Greeeaaat." Dez grumbled. She sighed an' wiped the machete on her jeans. "Oh well. We should probably get back. The sun is gonna be coming up soon." She looked at the sky an' I could that she was not pleased with the fact that they hadn' made any progress in findin' Sophia.

"Yeah." I nodded an' we started headin' back to the group. I kept my eyes an' ears alert for any sound that might mean another ambush. Neither of us had enough ammo to deal with that.

Even though I enjoyed the silence 'cus it meant I could stay focused on any danger I also didn' like it because it would make the walk that much longer an' after all that excitement I was gettin' bored. I tried to come up with some way to start a conversation. "You're pretty good with that bow." I said takin' a shot in the dark.

At first I wondered if she'd even heard me but after a few moments she tossed a smile my way an' nodded. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself. Of course crossbows are easier to use. Slow as hell to reload but whatever." She shrugged an' grinned arrogantly. "Least I can reuse my ammo." I shot back to her. For some reason I was likin' our lil' back an' forth.

"True. I can make my ammo though." The smug tone in her voice eased up a lil' but there was still a hint of it left. "You do that?" I asked. I'd never known anyone who did that. Everyone I'd ever known who favored huntin' with a bow just bought their arrows. Then again I could see why she would have to. "I can when I have to. I meant to stop at the sporting shop to get more but I didn' get the chance." She sounded bitter about that an' I caught a glimpse of just how serious she was 'bout her archery. It was obviously very important to her.

I stopped to investigate a rustlin' off to the left but it turned out to be a fat rabbit. I was ready to shoot it for breakfast but it was gone 'fore I could get a shot off. 'Damn.' I kept on my way. "Looks like you won' be gettin' that chance again for a while."

Dez tossed a grin at me over her shoulder. "Don' be so sure." She said an' after that the conversation died for a while. She seemed focused on somethin' else. I had no idea what it could be but it didn' last long, as if she didn' wanna dwell on it 'cus she shook her head an' rubbed at her temples. My guess was she was getting' a headache. That hit to the back of her head would probably be givin' her headaches for a while.

"So what's your story?" She asked suddenly. I wondered briefly why she would wanna know an' then common sense kicked in. "None ya business." I said simply. "Ah, loner rebel type, huh?" She rubbed her temple again.

"Somethin' like that." I grumbled. I wasn' used to people askin' me too many questions. Hell, Rick an' the others seemed to have made their minds up 'bout me the moment Merle an' I came 'round. "Kids? Girlfriend?" She glanced over her should tossin' me a strange look. "Boyfriend?"

'What the fuck?' I scrunched my nose at her. "Nah."

She pointed to my face. "What happened there?"

Immediately I got to thinkin' 'bout my altercation with Shane. Did I wanna tell her 'bout that? She didn' look like she was gonna go runnin' to Rick or the others to blab an' I honestly didn' care if she did but I was still hesitant. "It was nothin'. Misunderstandin'."

Dez rolled her eyes at me. "People in your group have 'misunderstandings' often?" She asked. I shook my head. "Not really. We argue but that's 'bout it most of the time." We were getting' pretty close to the highway an' hopefully that would mean the end of this lil' chit chat 'cus it was goin' in a direction that I felt a bit wary of.

"So someone must have REALLY been pissed off." She was probin' with this line of questionin' an' I finally gave in. "Yeah. I was." I admitted.

Her tone was now light. "Oooohhh and the plot thickens. Who'd ya fight? Rick?"

Like hell. Maybe one day he'd get under my skin enough for me to be pissed off but I don' think I could come to blows with Rick. Maybe. "Nah. Shane."

Dez laughed. "Damn. He's on a FEW shit lists, huh? Turning into a regular ol' punching bag." She shook her head with a chuckle. "What did he do to you?" She asked an' I noticed it was gettin' a lil' too easy to talk to her 'bout shit I didn' wanna talk 'bout with anyone.

I sighed. "Nothin'. He did somethin' to someone I…" I tried to find the right way to put it. "Cared 'bout."

"Details?" Of course she wanted details.

Al's face floated into my mind an' I decided I might as well. I'd given her a lot already. "She never did nothin' to no one. She kept to herself an' she stayed out of the way yet for some reason Shane felt that he needed to torment her." I remembered the night at the CDC an' I never wanted to think 'bout that again. My temper swiveled its head an' roared in my ears.

"Where is she now?" She didn' seem to notice that I was getting' kinda agitated. Then again her eyes were focused in front of her an' I was answerin' all o' her questions. 'why the hell am I doin' this?'

"Dead. I think." I answered bluntly. "You think?" She asked.

My shoulders slumped an' I wiped sweat off my face with my shirt. "I didn' see her die but I couldn' find her after the CDC blew. I'm guessin' she was in the buildin'."

She nodded to herself. "I see. So you HAD a girlfriend but she died."

I shook my head quickly. "She wasn' my girlfriend." Even thinkin' 'bout Al like that felt weird. I mean, yeah I kissed her but I still wasn' even sure how I'd felt 'bout her at the time. I still didn' know.

"Sister?" She was takin' shots in the dark now.

"No." I said. "She was just a girl. Just a strange girl that I took care of…For some fuckin' reason." I still hadn' figured out why I'd taken to her an' how in the hell she'd taken to me. We were complete opposites.

My jaw dropped at her next question. "Did you love her?"

Did I? Nah, no way. I just cared 'bout Al. It didn' go that far. Did it? I had been pretty beat up after she didn' come outta the buildin'. I still was. Just thinkin' 'bout her brought all that back with a vengeance. "What's with all the questions?" I finally asked.

The girl chuckled. "Just trying to figure you out. I have to get to know you guys a little bit don't I? We're gonna be housemates soon." The excitement in her tone was obviously forced. "How many siblings?" She hopped to the next question.

"Enough." I grunted.

"How many?" She cocked her head an' glanced at me.

I shook my head. "No. I meant enough questions." I stated firmly. She frowned. "No fun."

We were silent for a second 'fore I gave her a taste of her own medicine. "Your turn." I said an' she laughed heartily. "Alright what do you want to know and I'm NOT telling you my bra size." Her comment forced a small laugh outta me but I collected myself quickly by clearin' my throat. "You an' the Jap. Are you two…..Ya know." I didn't need to say it. It was implied plenty.

She laughed at me again. "WOW! What a question! No. Ruki and I aren't 'ya know'." She threw up air quotes an' her ponytail swung back and forth as she shook her head. "Oh." I'd figured they were together or somethin'. "How are you two so in tune with each other?" I asked. That weird psychic shit they did when they were 'round each other had been naggin' at me an' it was finally my chance to see what the hell was up with that.

Dez lifted her shoulder in a lazy shrug. "We've spent a whooooole lot of time together. It's just habit I guess. It's like we always know what the other is thinking. Cool right?" She grinned an' I raised my eyebrows. "Nah. It's creepy." I ignored the sour look she threw me. "How'd you get so good with a bow?" I was just askin' whatever came to mind. It was workin' keepin' my mind off the walk.

"I was big into archery growing up. Then having to survive just me and my sister most of the time it became second nature. I didn't really have a choice in the matter. It was either be a badass with a bow or die." She sounded so solemn that I could no longer think of anythin' to ask her that wouldn' result in her tellin' me some fucked up stories. I'm sure she had plenty. The look on her face said it all.

We made it back to the group as the sun was risin' an I could see everyone was up an' about. Carol's eyes grazed over us as we emerged from the trees but she didn' say nothin'. She knew we didn' make any progress. Rick, however, approached us an' hooked his fingers in his belt loops. "Any luck?" He asked. I shook my head. "Nothin'. Got attacked. Got outta there." I kept it short an' sweet an' noticed Dez lookin' 'round curiously.

"Where's Ruki?" She asked, her eyes flittin' 'round the cars an' people. Like she could misplace him of all people. He stuck out like sore thumb. Rick pointed to the trees. "He went lookin' for you-"

"DEZZ! DEZ!" She an' I both spotted the rifle totin' Asian as he burst out of the trees, his eyes bulgin' an' his chest heavin'. He ran straight for us an' I took a step back in case he was pissed that she an' I had wandered off. His hands went to his knees as he stopped in front of us, took three giant gulps of air, an' then let loose a barrage of gibberish. It was hard 'nough to understand him when he was speakin' slow. This was impossible.

Dez grabbed him by the face an' put a hand over his mouth. "Ruki! Slow down." She made sure he understood her an' removed her hand an' he took in 'nother big gulp of air. "I was in a tree!" He gasped. "Trying to spot you from above!" Another gulp of air. "BIG HOARD!" He shouted, his arms flyin' out to the side of him to emphasize the size.

Rick's face fell. "Where? Headed this way?" He asked.

Ruki shook his head, eye locked on Dez's. "No. passed us. Passed the city. Headed for the field." His eyes were wild like an animal. I looked at Dez an' her eyes were wide as plates. "The field?" She asked, as if she couldn' believe it. "THE FUCKING FIELD!" Ruki shouted. This caught the attention of the others an' they slowly made their way over to see what all the noise was about.

"What's this 'bout a field? Why is that important?" Rick asked.

Dez took a step back, her eyes on the groun' an' her face screamin' fear. She looked at Rick, her eyes stoney an' her face suddenly serious an' I could hear GI Jane come out in her tone.

"The warehouse."

…..

**So what do you think? fun stuff right? Looks like Dezzy is in a dilly of a pickle! She better fly her ass back to warehouse on hopes, dreams, and pixie dust, huh? XD So I'm a little disheartened by the lack of reviews but its cool. I didn't expect many and as long as you guys are enjoying the story I'm content :3 Anywhoooooo. In the next chapter Al's conscious and crazy as ever, Dez tries to come up with a plan, and walkers descend on unsuspecting group at the warehouse! Who lives? Who dies? Looks like you'll just have to read the next installment to find out yeah? Until next time! Much love!**

**-**MeRci.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary**: This update absolutely had to happen quickly because I was crazy excited for this one. It's the one you've all been waiting for! Hell, I'VE been waiting for it too haha. Writing it felt great to finally get out. Anyways in this chapter Al's moving around, Dez does some crazy shit because she's obviously crazy, Rick gets punched in the face? Oh and a very special reunion! Read on and enjoy! =D

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking dead blah blah blah I make no profit from this blah blah

…

**Mute POV**:

I awoke with a start and quickly took in my surroundings having no clue where I was. Then I remembered being rescued vaguely but by whom? And how long had I been out? With a hiss of pain I sat up. The blanket covering me fell away and I looked down at myself wearing nothing but a bra and panties. I almost had a moment of freaking out but the sight of stitches in my sides stopped me and I recalled just how close to death I'd been. I'd been fucking impaled!

Panic rising in my chest, I looked around frantically, spotted my bag, and yanked it over to my side which hurt like a bitch but I gritted my teeth and ignored it as best as I could as I rifled through the contents looking for something to wear. The only things inside were my barely intact notebooks, and the teddy bear. "Shit." I grumbled and used the blanket that was covering me to wrap myself in.

I tried to stand up but it was slow goings with the brace on my leg. I was grateful for it though because without it there was no telling the pain my leg would be in if it bent even the slightest. I managed to make it to my feet, clutching the blanket around me and wobbled towards the door just as it opened and in stepped a tall man with curly dark chestnut hair and deep, analytical eyes with dark circles beneath them as if he hadn't slept in days. He looked me up and down, one thick eyebrow raised and in a firm; authoritative tone said "You shouldn't be moving about." And crossed his muscled forearms over his broad chest.

Unfortunately there was nothing else I wanted to do at the moment. I didn't want to return to my fucked up dreams and I didn't want to just sit around doing nothing. I was tired of being helpless and useless. I stared hard at the man figuring this was my chance to start over. "But I want to. Where are my clothes?" I asked. Words felt weird coming out of my mouth but I wanted to get used to speaking even if it was just a little bit now and then. I wanted to be normal. I wanted to be just like everyone else.

He stepped closer to me and though I wanted to scurry away I stood my ground and planted my feet. I wasn't going to be afraid anymore. I'd nearly died! I could handle someone being close to me. Right? "They were washed. Please." His eyes softened and he motioned to the nest of blankets. "Rest." His tone was less demanding and seemed pretty concerned that I was up and about. I shook my head unable to do what was requested of me. "No." I brushed passed him, flinching as my shoulder brushed his arm, and hobbled out the door. It was going to take me a long time to get used to this touching and talking thing. How did people do that shit so easily?

I was greeted by the sight of a long hallway with doors lining the walls. I guessed they were used as housing. Behind me I heard the man following as I made my way down the corridor trying not to use the wall as support but by the time I made it to the end I was exhausted and pain echoed in every crevice of my body. I leaned against the corner of the wall and peeked my head around to see a large open area. A warehouse. 'Huh. Wasn't expecting that.'

There were people. Lots of people here and there. Some bustling about and others just sitting and talking. From behind me the man spoke. "We all live her together, surviving day to day. It's all we can do. The people who rescued you…Some of them didn't come back. We're holding onto Hope that they return unharmed but.." he trailed off and I took a good long look at the people before sliding around the corner and stepping into the big open space. The man did the same and he stepped in front of me. "I'm Caleb." He extended his hand and I stared at it for a moment before I realized I was supposed to shake it. I reached a hand out slowly and grasped his. "M-.." I stopped myself and cleared my throat. "Allison." I said and he nodded. "I know."

I was ready to ask him how he knew my name, my heart sinking, when there came a pounding of footsteps from above and I glanced up to see stairs and someone moving down them very quickly. The person leaped down the last few and he looked around before spotting Caleb and launching himself towards him. "Caleb! We've got a situation!" He was a tall, super built black man that was probably the most intimidating person I'd ever seen in my life.

I looked between them wondering what was going on. Caleb's expression became deadly serious. "What is it?" He asked. The other man glanced to me and then away and I realized how silly I must have looked wearing nothing but a blanket. "We've got walkers." He said and Caleb seemed to need a moment to take that information in. My skin immediately began to crawl and my heart began to pound. 'It's not safe here.' Was my first thought.

"From the city?" Caleb asked. The man shook his head. "No. I don't know where they came from but there's a hundred or more." He said and Caleb nodded solemnly. "Show me." He said and the two disappeared up the stairs leaving me all alone with my racing thoughts.

I clutched the blanket tighter around me and began looking at every possible entrance I could see. 'But it seems safe enough.' I thought. The windows were all boarded up and the main entrance was padlocked. 'How could it be safe? You're here. Nowhere is safe for you.' I cringed as an all too familiar voice crept up on me. "I thought you were gone for good." I mumbled to myself thanking Christ I was alone. 'Hah! Yeah right, Missy.' The voice chuckled and I sighed. I couldn't even dispute the truth of that statement because so far everywhere I'd ever wound up had ended up going to hell in a hand basket.

Looking around at the people, I leaned against the wall and scanned each face before taking an extra close look at my surroundings and my mood brightened a little when I noticed a line of clothes hanging up near a group of women with a singular man seated with them. I nibbled on my bottom lip. 'Oh, come on, toughie. I thought you weren't going to be afraid anymore.' The voice mocked me and I squared my shoulders. 'I'm not.' I snapped back in my thoughts and with a deep breath I started making my way towards the clothing.

It wasn't until I was close enough to reach out and touch my dress that eyes fell upon me. The man, who was a massive older man with salt and pepper hair, smiled when he saw me. "Ah. You're up." He stood, excusing himself from the women who looked at me but remained quiet. They didn't seem to know what to think of me. Not that I could blame them. I was a total stranger. I dropped my gaze and reached up for the article of clothing. My side screeched in agony and I dropped my hand feeling helpless.

"Need some help there?" The man asked and without an answer from me took the dress down and presented it to me. "Don't see too many people wearing stuff like this anymore." He chuckled. He had a certain charm to him. Like Dale had. For a second I felt guilty for never giving the man a chance. I'd shut so many people out. Some of them for good reason but the others hadn't deserved my rude cold shoulder. I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

I reached for the dress and nodded. "Thank you." I mumbled. He shook his head. "No problem. I'm Vincent by the way." He extended his hand to me and I took it, my fingers slightly trembling. "Allison."

"Quite a grip you've got there, Ally!" He grinned and I smiled knowing I wasn't even holding his hand firmly. He was trying to make me laugh. 'This isn't so bad.' I thought to myself.

"Everyone!" From behind me Caleb and the other man reappeared and Caleb was trying to get people's attention. The people scattered about slowly made their way over to hear what he had to say and I frowned. 'This probably isn't good.' I thought and stepped back out of instinct.

"I'm obligated to warn you that there is a hoard of walkers headed this way." Caleb spoke as a leader and it didn't take me too long to pick up on the fact that these followed him like a captain. A few people looked at each other, worry written in their faces. "There is no need to panic though. There is no way they can know we are here as long as we don't let them know. I don't know what brought them this way but if we stay quiet then we should have nothing to worry about." He said. Some people began to mutter among themselves but Caleb continued. "We are safe here but we will keep an eye on the situation. Kirk." He pointed to a man off to the side, his arm around an older woman and a younger one.

He stepped forward and Caleb pointed to one of the windows on the side of the main entrance. "You and Jackson will keep an eye on the front." Caleb said and the black man and Kirk took their posts at once. "Brandon!" Caleb pointed to a younger man who didn't look too pleased to have to contribute but he stepped forward anyways. "You're on the roof with Vince."

Vince clapped me on the shoulder. He must have noticed I was a bit wary and he smiled reassuringly. "No worries, girly. We've never had a walker in the warehouse." He said and with a squeeze of my shoulder headed off with Brandon up the stairs. I watched him until he disappeared and returned my focus to Caleb.

He was so confident. So assertive, and it was obvious he cared about the people of the group. They worked together and no one doubted him. I wasn't used to that. I was used to Rick's group who constantly bickered and argued about the right thing to do. These people seemed the exact opposite of that. It was comforting in a weird way.

A girl stepped forward, a young black man keeping close to her. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked. Caleb looked shocked for a second, his eyebrows raised before he approached her and shook his head. In a low voice he spoke to her. "Hope, I know you want to help but you know Dez wouldn't want you put in any danger. I think the best thing for you to do is go back with Deacon."

"You just said that we aren't in any danger. I know there's something I can do to be useful." She insisted. Caleb smiled. "You know you two are a lot alike. You're stubborn just like she is." He chuckled and shrugged. "But I guess there is something you could do." He looked to me and I knew what was coming before he began to lead her over to me. "You can help Allison settle in. She probably needs help getting dressed." He said and she looked me up and down and then sighed. "Fine." She said and motioned for me to follow her.

….

**Dez POV:**

"I need a vehicle." I said, my eyes focused on the ground. My mind was racing trying to come up with a good plan. I couldn't stick around here for another minute. My home was in danger. If there was one wrong move at the warehouse they would all be in danger. I had to do something to prevent that.

Glenn crossed his arms over his chest. "The only ones we've got that are running are Daryl's truck and motorcycle unless we siphon fuel from the other cars." He said. I shook my head. "That will take too long." I grunted. "Either the truck or bike will do." I said.

Daryl scoffed. "Like hell you're takin' my bike."

I shot him a glare. "I'll bring it back in one piece." Assured him. He tapped his foot, eyebrow arched. "Or you'll die in this suicide mission you're plannin' an' I won' ever see it again." He shot back. I was getting more and more frustrated as the seconds ticked by. Didn't these people understand I needed to go now? The fact that I had people to protect seemed to just fly right over their heads. Unless they just didn't care.

A blonde woman, Andrea, I think he name was spoke up. "Think about what you're doing. It's crazy." She said as if I didn't know that already. Sure it was insane but sanity wasn't an option for me at the moment. "I have a sister in that warehouse! I have to do something!" I exclaimed hoping that I could get the point drilled into their heads. Andrea looked to the ground and fell silent.

Rick was silent as the grave as well and I jabbed a finger in his direction. "The way I see it you owe me one. Not even ME. You owe Caleb. He saved your lives! We even came all the way out here to help you. The least you can do is give us a vehicle so we can protect the people we owe our lives to!" I was yelling now, unable to control the rage building inside. Not much could set me off but being forced to be helpless in a situation such as this definitely did.

Rick stepped towards me. "I can't let you just run off into a hoard half cocked." He said and I threw my hands up in the air. "I wouldn't be! I know how to get around it. That field is huge! We'd be going around them to the back of the warehouse!" I shouted, chest heaving and fists shaking.

The oldest member of the group, Dale looked between Ruki and I. "Just the two of you?" He asked and it suddenly hit me that I hadn't even asked Ruki if he would come with me. Maybe he didn't want to throw himself into harm's way. I looked to him. "If you're willing to go with me." I said and he looked at me like I was crazy. "Of course." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world that he would want to go with.

Rick shook his head. "It's too dangerous." He said and I snapped. I pulled my arm back and slugged Rick in the jaw. "SELFISH SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed at him and I reared back to hit him again but Ruki grabbed me around the waist and jerked me away, my fist connecting with air. "Dez!" He exclaimed. "Stop! That's not gonna help." He spoke directly into my arm, his arms wrapped around me like a vice. "He's obviously not going to help." He said and shot a glare at Rick who was being coddled by his wife who ran up to see the damage done to his face.

With a grunt I jerked free of Ruki. "Fine. I'll fucking walk." I grunted. I'd wasted enough time thinking I might get some help from these people. I headed for the truck, grabbed the bags out of the bed, and tossed a few to Ruki before holstering my guns and starting for the highway. If I got lucky maybe we'd find a car that was blocked in somewhere along the way.

From behind I heard Daryl speak up. "We can't let them go alone. They offered us a place to stay and that place could be in danger. What're we gonna do? Sit here on the side of the highway until someone else comes along offerin' help?" He sounded tired.

I paused hopefully and turned to see Rick's wife nodding. "Daryl's right, Rick. I'm tired of not knowing what to do. I want to feel safe. This could be our chance." She said and hugged their son close to her. Rick looked from her to me and back a couple of times before he hung his head and sighed. "Alright." He said and I felt relief flood through me. "If you're gonna go you're gonna have a few of us to go with you. We'll take the truck." He said to Ruki and I and I immediately jogged back over to the truck and dumped the bags back inside the bed. "Good." I said. "Load up. We leave now." I stared at him and leaped into the bed. Ruki followed suit.

Rick didn't look to pleased that I was barking orders at him but he let it go and turned to the others. "Who's coming with?" He asked. Daryl stepped up. "Since you're takin' my truck I'm goin' but I'm taking my bike." He said and headed towards it. Then Glenn raised his hand looking like he'd rather do anything else. "I'm in." He said with a heavy sigh.

Rick's kid looked up at his dad. "Can I come?" He asked. Rick shook his head. "No. Stay here and keep your mom safe." He said. Shane was next and he scratched at his scalp. "I guess I'll come to keep an eye on ya." He grinned but Rick shook his head again. "No I'd feel much better knowing you're here with T-dog and Andrea in case anything happens." He said and Andrea shrugged. "I wasn't planning on going anyways." She said with a playful smirk.

Rick smiled and turned his attention back to Shane. "Keep lookin' for Sophia while we're gone. We'll be back soon." He told him and kissed his wife and then his son on the forehead.

As nice as the goodbyes were I was getting impatient. "Today please!" I shouted and banged on the side of the truck. Rick shot me a look and soon he and Glenn were in the truck and Daryl was on his bike and we sped off towards the city.

It was a pretty long ride and Rick went around the outskirts which was a longer path but it would keep us off the radars of the majority of walkers in the city. During the ride I focused on what I needed to do. It would be dangerous but I knew I could pull it off if I just focused. Of course if I pulled it off Caleb would definitely call me an idiot for it.

When we reached the edge of the field I knocked on the truck and yelled for Rick to stop. I could see the hoard in the distance getting way too close to the warehouse for me to feel comfortable. Did they know there was life in there or were they just wandering aimlessly? I could tell but I wasn't going to take the risk of them somehow knowing.

I jumped out of the truck as it slowed down and ran over to Daryl as he came to a stop. He looked around and tilted his head. "What're we doin'?" He asked and Rick got out of the truck to ask the same thing. "Why'd we stop?"

I pointed to the slow moving crowd. "They've gotten too close. If we're spotted this whole plan goes to shit." I said mimed holding a fishing rod and throwing the line. "I'm gonna bait 'em." I grinned knowing Rick probably thought I was crazy. I probably was but oh well. I pointed to Daryl's motorcycle. "Mind if I borrow your bike?" I asked and he looked appalled.

"Why? To watch you wreck it?" He shot at me and I shrugged. "Fine. I hope you're ready to have some fun." I said and swung my leg over the back and planted myself firmly behind him. He didn't look happy about it but he didn't say anything.

"What are we supposed to do?" Rick asked. I turned to him and smiled. "Your jobs easy." I told him. "We're gonna ride passed 'em and I'm gonna get their attention." I said and drew a gun from my holster. "I'm going to fire into them and try to lead them away. Once I have their attention you drive around to the back of the warehouse. There's a gate that locks from the inside that leads to a set of stairs. There you'll take the stairs up to the roof. Ruki will show you how to get in." I waited until Rick and Glenn nodded in understanding and then patted Daryl on the back. "Giddy up, cowboy." I said.

Daryl looked at me over his shoulder. "You sure 'bout this?" He asked and I grinned. "Sure."

He shrugged with a shake of his head. "Okay then." He said and we sped off towards the hoard. "HIHO, SILVER! AWAAAYYY! YEEEEEHAWWWW!" I shouted as the wind whipped my hair around. I'd never been on a motorcycle before. It was awesome! I'd have to get me one.

We left the truck behind us in the dust and skirted the hoard. I started yelling at the top of my lungs and started firing off rounds into the crowd. I took down a few walkers and I definitely got the attention of the others because suddenly they turned and headed our way hissing and groaning, eyes fixed on us.

I tapped Daryl on the shoulder and told him to stop. I held on to his shoulder and as he came to a stop and I turned slightly to get a better aim. "Now you're gonna have to trust me here." I said. "Don't go until I tell you." I told him and fired off a few more shots.

The walkers stumbled forward, slowly closing the distance between us. "Wait for it." I said and fired again. "HEY, FUCKERS! COME GET SOME!" I shouted at the bodies bumping into each other. They were about a yard away and I chuckled feeling Daryl tense up. "Wait." I told him squeezing his shoulder.

"You tryin' to get us killed?!" He yelled at me. "Trust me!" I yelled back. My clip was empty so I holstered the gun and pulled out the other and shot a couple more of the undead. Finally they were only a couple feet away and I shouted. "GO!" Which Daryl was more than happy to do. We sped off again and I howled like a wolf ending in a high pitched laugh. This was actually way more fun than it should have been.

"You're fuckin' crazy!" Daryl shouted over his shoulder and I laughed again. "I know! It's pretty great right?!" I made him stop again and though I could tell he was reluctant he did it and I was grateful that he was willing to put his trust in me. "What now?" He asked.

"We've got to keep their attention. We'll do this a couple more times until their well away from the warehouse and then we lose 'em and circle back around." I said and dropped walkers until I ran out of bullets and asked Daryl; "Got a gun?" and holstered mine.

He pointed to the side bag and I reached in and grabbed it quickly. "Oooooh. A revolver." I grinned and fired it into the hoard. "C'MON, BOYS! DING DING DING! THAT'S THE DINNER BELL!" I shouted and when they got too close we sped off again. I'd be lying if I said I'd thought this would work as well as it was but I was sure glad it was.

…

**Mute POV:**

"Drop the blanket." Hope said and I felt completely awkward but did as she told me. She extended her hand to me. "Gimme." She said and pointed to the dress. I extended it to her and she shook her head. "I can't believe he gave me busywork." She grumbled and I arched an eyebrow as she motioned for me to raise my arms. "As high as you can." She ordered and I did so. It wasn't that far that I could reach but she slid the dress over my head and slowly put my arms in one my one before tugging it down.

"There. Now what?" She said and we just stared at each other in silence before she suddenly cracked a smile and then broke out into laughter. I had no idea what was so funny until she enlightened me. "You look kind of ridiculous wearing a dress and a leg brace in the apocalypse." She said and I looked down at myself. Yeah. I could see how she would think that. I shrugged and rested against the table feeling a little tired.

"I guess it's kind of fitting. He's making me take care of the girl my sister rescued." She laughed again and then a commotion from up above made me look up at the ceiling. The Roof was directly above this room apparently and I could hear people running around. Hope was looking too and she left the room. I was curious as well and followed her albeit at a slow pace.

Kirk was the first person I saw and he had a gun now which made me worry again. If there were guns suddenly involved that couldn't be good. Hope jogged over to one of the other women who were watching nibbling at her nails and asked what was going on. The woman looked anxious as she said; "The walkers have gotten really close. Caleb said they'll either pass on or they'll be knocking on the door soon to see if anyone's home." She was obviously trying to be funny but it came across as crazed instead.

Hope nodded and stared off at the main entrance and seemed to be in deep thought. "It will be okay." She said but it sounded more like she was talking to herself.

Another commotion came from behind and Brandon was running down the stairs and he made a beeline for Caleb shouting; "There's a truck! It just stopped on the edge of the field!" He was out of breath as Caleb jogged over to him. "Who is it?" He asked Brandon who looked happy yet panicked at the same time. "I don't know the other two but Ruki's with them." He said and Hope's head snapped around so quick I'm surprised her neck didn't break. "Ruki?" She gasped and ran over. "Is Dezzy with them?" She asked.

Brandon shook his head, his eyes glancing back and forth from her to Caleb as if he didn't know what to do or say. Hope's face fell and she clenched her fists. Her expression had pain written all over it.

From outside came the sound of a loud motor and everyone looked, curiosities high and suddenly Kirk whooped, his face pressed against a crack in the boards. Something exciting was happening outside obviously and he suddenly began jumping up and down, his fist pumping in the air. "It's her! It's Dez! She's back!" He shouted and Hope ran over, eye wide and shoved him out of the way to look for herself. "Oh my god!" She shouted and Caleb joined her.

"What?" He asked but she didn't answer him. Her jaw dropped as the sound of gunshots rang out from nearby. "Oh my GOD! Hope gasped and she began hitting the wood and stomping her foot. I couldn't tell what the hell she was feeling. "What is it?" Caleb asked again at her strange display of emotions.

Kirk had joined Jackson at his post and was staring just as slack jawed as she was and he laughed. "I can't believe her!" He exclaimed and Hope was really freaking out now. She was hopping up and down, eyes glued to what was going on screaming; "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY FUCKING GOD!"

Caleb finally had enough and threw his hands up in the air. "Will somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?!"He yelled and Kirk laughed again. "She's leading them away!" He told him and Caleb thought about that for a moment. "How?" He asked, eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Hope screamed and then made a noise of relief. "She's being fucking crazy! That's how!" She squealed.

There was so much excitement in the warehouse at that moment. People were talking and bouncing around on the balls of their feet. This was big news to them.

Jackson was cackling like a madman. "She's on the back of a motorcycle with some hick lookin' dude. She's baiting them. God DAMN! Hope your sister is fuckin' crazy!" He said but he was all too amused by what was going on.

From the stairs there was more noise and Brandon came running back down. I hadn't even noticed he'd left again in all the excitement. This time he wasn't alone though. With him were three people. Two I thought I'd never see again and the third was an anxious looking Asian man with way too many piercings for one person.

I would have loved to ogle at him like he was a freak but my attention was far more focused on the two men with him. It was my turn to be a slack jawed idiot and I just stared, thoughts reeling. How could they be here? I'd thought they'd be miles away by now or dead. 'Well that was unexpected.' The voice in my head chirped just as astonished as I was.

"Ruki!" Caleb ran up to him looking like he was ready to kiss the man but the Asian was too busy to deal with him. He pointed to officer do-gooder and said "Rick." Then pointed to the other Asian man looking around like he couldn't believe where he was. "Glenn." He said and bolted to the window next to Hope who threw her arms around him as he stared at the window with her. "Can you believe her?!" She shrieked at him and he laughed. "Of course I can. It's Dezzy." He was grinning from ear to ear.

I backed up a little, suddenly worried. What would they think seeing me? 'What about..' It hit me all too soon who this Dez person was riding with. 'Daryl.' My knees felt weak suddenly and if it wasn't for the leg brace both of my legs would have given out. It was only one though and I clumsily toppled over awkwardly like a tree falling and I just sat there, crumpled and in shock.

The two were quickly exchanging words with Caleb yet my display seemed to get their attention. Glenn noticed me first and at first he simply glanced at me and I was tempted to try to crawl away but I simply couldn't and his eyes snapped back in my direction in a double take, his face shocked. 'Disappear.' I wished. 'Please just let me disappear.'

He tapped Rick, who was still talking to Caleb, on the back and it took him a minute before he acknowledged that Glenn was trying to get his attention and when he did Glenn pointed in my direction and when Rick looked my way I tried and failed at trying to find something to do other than raise my hand a little and wave. 'Awkward as fuck.'

Hope was doing a weird dance of excitement as she announced. "They're circling around!" And then her eyes found me sitting awkwardly on the floor and walked over to me following my gaze to the two men.

"You okay there?" She asked and offered me her hand. Glenn was making his way over too while Rick went turned his attention back to Caleb. Occasionally he would glance back over like he was sure I wasn't really there and he was just imagining shit. 'Nope. I'm here.' Even though I suddenly wished I wasn't. This would have to be the weirdest reunion ever.

Glenn stepped forward, eyeing me up and down as Hope tried to help me up. I nearly dragged her down too though and he quickly reached forward and grabbed my arm making me flinch as they both pulled me up. Seriously, I might have to lay off on the touching thing. I'd have to work into it little by little. This was all too much to deal with just now.

"Mute? Is that really you?" Glenn asked and I took a step back and steadied myself. 'Is there some other Mute that you know or something?' I wanted to snap sarcastically but instead I nodded, scratching at the back of my neck.

Hope looked back and forth between us. "You two know each other?" She asked. I could see curiosity burning in her. Glenn nodded. "Yeah but..We all thought.." He looked to be having a hard time finding the word so I took a deep breath and offered some help. "You thought I was dead." I said and he stared, dumbfounded. Of course he did. He'd never heard a single word come out of my mouth. "Yeah.." He said and his eyes went wide as if he'd had a sudden realization.

"When Daryl sees you…" He pressed his palm against his forehead and smiled as he shook his head. "He hasn't been the same since the CDC..- He's gonna..- How did you get out?" Again, he was grasping for words and I cleared my throat. "Barely..As you can see." I motioned to my leg and various scrapes.

"You were at the CDC?" Hope blanched at me and looked at Glenn. "I was wondering how she'd gotten so banged up. She was in really bad shape when she was brought here." She said and I was getting really uncomfortable with being the center of attention. "How's Carl?" I asked to change the subject.

Glenn smiled. "I didn't even think of that! Carl is going to be so happy to know you're okay!" He said. I couldn't help but smile at his words. Out of everyone I'd missed Carl the most. His sweet smile and easy way of making me smile right along with him even if I was down in the dumps. 'You mean like Noah?' The voice in my head reared its ugly head and I immediately snapped at it. "Shut up!"

I realized I'd said it out loud and cleared my throat. "I'm sorry." I blurted and snapped my jaw shut with an audible 'click'. Hope and Glenn both gave me strange looks but I didn't have to deal with them for long because from upstairs came a loud slamming noise followed by a loud shout.

"HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO!"

A young woman was standing at the top of the stairs arms thrown out wide with a huge smile on her face. She was the epitome of confidence and pride as she stood and everyone looked up at her and immediately almost everyone burst out into cheers and clapping. All except Caleb, Rick, and Glenn and few others who simply looked on.

Hope screamed "DEZZY!" and began jumping up and down. She was absolutely glowing. I didn't understand what all the excitement was about but I went ahead and clapped too because it seemed like the right thing to do. Then Dez turned and pointed to someone who was standing behind her and my heart pounded so hard and loud I thought it was going to burst from my chest and run screaming out the door hand in hand with my dwindling sanity. 'Daryl.' I thought I was going to throw up.

"Give this man some love! He deserves it!" Dez exclaimed and Daryl was actually smiling as she grabbed his hand and swung it up in the air proudly. Something in my chest throbbed painfully but I just summed it up to the stress being put on my heart. Dez dropped his hand and patted Daryl on the back before starting down the stairs. He followed behind her looking pretty satisfied with whatever they'd just done and I stepped a little to the side trying to decide if I wanted to make a break for it and hide or just accept the inevitable.

Hope ran like the devil was on her heels and Dez spotted her and grinned, placed a hand on the railing, and hopped over it gracefully and Hope leapt into her arms squealing excitedly and squeezing the woman like she was a soldier returning from battle.

Daryl took in his surroundings, eyes roaming up over the ceiling, over the entrances just as I had done and then the faces of the people in the large area. His gaze bounced all over the place and I held my breath taking another step to the side. It felt like my leg was going to give out again but I forced myself to freeze on the spot. Glenn fidgeted next to me and I wanted to shout at him not to make any sudden movements. At any moment he was going to see me and I was going to explode. At least that's what it felt like.

But he didn't. He dropped his eyes to the floor and I exhaled, slowly deflating and a piece of me wanted to shout "HEY! OVER HERE! I EXIST! NOTICE ME!" but I chewed on my tongue lightly to keep it from betraying me. I turned as quickly as I could to make a break for it, unable to take the pressure anymore when someone called out to me.

"Mute!" I froze mid-wobble and turned to see Rick heading my way. 'oh, man.' My eyes snapped to Daryl and there it was. His stare was focused on me so intensely that it felt like I was going to burst into flames. They were drilling into me so deeply I could feel them probing my insides. I gulped. 'Busted.'

Rick was next to me saying something but I was having a hard time focusing as I watched Daryl slowly set down his crossbow and begin heading my way. 'Twenty feet and counting…Nineteen…Eighteen..'

"I just wanted to say…" Rick was still talking but I was fading in and out of the conversation. 'Seventeen….Sixteen…Fifteen..'

"I know you never really were friendly to most of our group but I'm glad to see you're alive. I know Carl is going to be so relieved. I didn't know what to tell him when you disappeared and we all thought you were.." I spared Rick a glance and nodded. 'Fourteen..Holy shit why is time passing so slow all of a sudden? Thirteen. Don't freak out. Twelve. You know you missed him. Eleven. Should I hug him? Ten. No just keep calm. You know how bipolar he is. Nine. He'll probably blame you for all of this. Eight. You're not breathing. Seven. BREATH!'

I exhaled sharply and sucked in air as Rick threw me for a loop. "I want to say I'm sorry for never giving you a chance." He said and my head snapped around to stare at him. Why was he apologizing for that of all things? Sure he hadn't given me a chance but I wasn't exactly handing out chances at the time either. I couldn't even say anything I was so dumbfounded by his apology. So dumbfounded in fact I forgot all about Daryl who, when I turned my attention back to him was stopped exactly three feet in front of me, touching his shirt pocket.

Rick must have felt the heavy atmosphere because he cleared his throat and looked away. "That's all I had to say." He said and clapped Daryl on the shoulder. "Good job." He smiled and walked over to the group that was crowding around Dez and Hope who'd been joined by Caleb.

Daryl looked me up and down before he shifted his weight and neither of us spoke for a few seconds which felt like years. Time was dragging on in the most agonizing way. I had no idea what to say. We both were stuck in the same boat obviously. I hung my head and stared at my feet, the silence between us almost crushing me. 'Fucking say something!' That voice shouted. It sounded frustrated.

"Al.." I cringed hearing him say my name and that painful throb in my chest returned. I closed my eyes for a second and when I opened them I had to blink back tears that were threatening to come pouring out. 'Why? Why would I cry? I should be happy to see him alive and well right?' Then I realized it was because I WAS happy that I wanted to cry which felt really fucking weird to me.

I looked up at him once I was sure I wasn't going to start bawling like a baby. I stared at him worried that maybe all of this was some fucking twisted ass dream again. That it would all fade away and I'd wake up in some awful place all alone. "Hey, Mr. Crossbow." I mumbled finally and I caught his chest rise with a quick inhale and then slowly fall. I could see his inner turmoil. Maybe he didn't know whether to yell at me, say some cruel shit, or just tell me he was glad to see me alive.

Again we were left staring at each other awkwardly and I decided 'fuck it' and took a deep breath. "I'm glad to see you're okay." I said. I looked away again wishing he would stop staring at me with that look on his face like I was some ghost.

"God dammit, Al." It happened so suddenly. One moment I was trying to look anywhere but at him and the next I was wrapped up in a hug that was so gentle that I nearly cried again. I stiffened initially not really knowing what to make of it because it had been forever and a day since an adult had hugged me. I felt panic rise in my chest but took a deep breath and forced it away and relaxed on the exhale and allowed my arms to wrap around his back loosely. "That's not my name." I wanted to laugh but it didn't feel appropriate. He'd probably smack me if I laughed at that moment.

"I thought you were dead." His chin rested on the top of my head and he spoke quietly, almost with a forced tone. It was starting to look like I wasn't the only having a hard time keeping it together. "Yeah..I did too." I couldn't help but smile and rest my cheek on him. It kind of felt nice. 'How fucked up is this?' usually we were at each other's throats or he was making fun of me. This felt strangely nice. Different, Waaaaaayyyy different, but nice. Never in my life had I ever expected to have a moment like this with someone much less a crossbow toting psycho.

We stood like that for a minute until he finally stepped back and looked over his shoulder at the people who were smiling and I clasped my arms around my middle. "You should go over there. Join in on the fun. God knows you probably need it." I said but he shook his head. "Nah. I don' care 'bout that none. I'm more curious 'bout when you started talkin'. I expected 'nother bite for huggin' ya." He said with a smirk.

I shrugged. "Don't start expecting it." I was enjoying the light tone of this conversation but I was feeling a bit tired. I yawned and rubbed my temples knowing I needed to lie down and sleep. I'd been awake longer than I should have been but with all the excitement who could sleep?

Daryl eyed me. "You okay?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah. I just need to rest a little. Gotta heal and shit." I grumbled and turned to hobble away but noticed that he had a strange look on his face like it was painful for him to watch me walk away. I felt guilt ricochet through my chest and threw him a bone. "Umm…" I looked at my leg. "Can you help me?" I asked nervously. I'd just told myself to go easy on the touching but it looked like today was just gonna be a damn touch-fest.

He stared at me for a moment before nodding. "Yeah." And I mentally prepared myself as he bent down and put an arm around my waist. I hissed in pain as he brushed my stitches and moved his hand a little lower to avoid any further contact of that extra painful area. He looked a little embarrassed for a second but that was gone in the next second and he put my arm around him.

I pointed him in the direction of the room and we awkwardly made our way down the hallway. "I remember a certain point n' time I tried helpin' ya like this once an' you were hell bent on not lettin' me." He said and I nodded remembering trying to make my way on some stairs at the CDC. "Yeah and I remember a time you shoved a crossbow in my face not too long before that." I shot back at him.

He went quiet for a moment before saying; "Sorry 'bout that." and I almost felt sorry for saying it but then he opened his mouth again and all regrets were lost. " But if ya weren' so damn stubborn all the time I wouldn've had to."

'Looks like things are going to be back to normal-ish.' I rolled my eyes as we made it to the room and grumbled "Right".

Inside he lowered me slowly onto my nest of blankets and I was grateful for the care he used as I laid back and let out a long sigh. It was nice to lay down again.

Daryl was looking around the room and he stared at all the bloody rags and medical supplies scattered about. "What happened?" He asked. I took a moment to get comfortable before answering him. "Ah, ya know..Hurt my leg getting out of the CDC, got knocked out, woke up with a sharp object sticking out of me, struggled into the city, somehow didn't die, and here I am." I gestured to the room around us.

His looked confused. "Sharp object stickin' outta ya?" He asked and I nodded and pointed to my sides. "Yup."

"How are you even alive?" He asked and I recall asking myself that same question a couple of times. I shrugged. "Honestly I have no idea."

We fell into silence for a few minutes after that and Daryl took a seat against the wall, knees raised and his arms resting on them. I felt the energy draining from my body slowly and it was like lying down came just in time because I was getting drowsy as hell. "You're just gonna sit there while I sleep?" I asked figuring he would be more interested in doing anything else.

"Nothin' better to do. It's too loud out there just now." He stared at the door. I yawned again, my eyes drooping closed. "Oh..Okay." I mumbled and after a few minutes of just lying there I fell asleep.

…

**Daryl POV**:

I was havin' a hard time adjustin' to this. Less than an hour ago I'd been sure that Al was dead. That she'd died at the CDC. Now here I was sittin' in a room with her watchin' her sleep.

It hadn't even occurred to me that she'd be with this group. What if I hadn' come with Rick an' the others? I wouldn' have known until later. Or if I hadn' helped talk Rick into comin' at all. The warehouse coulda gone to shit an' Al coulda died.

When I'd seen her I thought I was seein' shit. I thought maybe she was just someone who looked like my mime but Rick had clearly called her Mute. It took a second to sink in but when I took a good long look at her there was no mistakin' those eyes. That face. That thousand yard stare she was famous for.

Inside I'd been relieved but too shocked to understand exactly what I was feelin' an then she'd spoken to me. It had been so hard not to pick her up an' swing her around like a kid but I knew she didn' like that shit an' I didn' need her runnin' away from me so soon after findin' her but I hadn' been able to stop myself from huggin' her. I just needed to know she was real, that she was actually there an' not just a figment of my imagination.

I tried hard not to focus on how good it felt to hold her, to hear her voice. Then she'd said she was tired an' she was gonna just leave. I'd just foun' her an' she was jus' gonna go away again. I didn' wanna admit that it had caused me some slight distress. I woulda pro'lly followed her if she didn' ask for my help as pathetic as that was.

I sighed an' watched her chest rise an' fall recallin' watchin' her sleep before as well. She musta been real tired for her to fall asleep so quick. Then again she'd been hurt pretty bad. Of course she'd be tired. As much as I wished she was awake to keep talkin' to me I couldn' very well wake her up jus' for that.

I sat there for a while. It coulda been an hour for all I knew. I jus' kept thinkin' back on every moment I'd thought she was gone for good. Every moment I'd regretted the way I acted toward her. Every single time I shoulda told her how I felt. I knew how I fuckin' felt 'bout her. I'd known it since the CDC blew an' I'd thought I'd never see her again. How much more obvious could it be? Unfortunately I hadn' known what I had 'till I lost it. But she wasn' gone. She was here an' I told myself I wasn' gonna be makin' the same mistake twice.

Footsteps outside alerted me to someone comin' an' I looked to see Rick standin' in the doorway. He looked to Al an' then to me. "We're headin' back." He said quietly. I looked him dead in the eye. "kay."

"Be ready to go in ten minutes." He said an' turned to leave the room but I shook my head. "I ain't goin'." I said. He turned back to me an' I expected him not to understand but he seemed to know exactly where I was comin' from. Didn' stop him from tryin' to change my mind though. "We're comin' back tomorrow with the rest of the group." He said an' I smirked.

"You really think Carol's gonna be okay with that?" I asked knowin' she wouldn' be. She was hell bent on findin' Sophia. "No. She's not." Rick said "But I think she'll understand."

'I doubt that.' It wouldn' be no easy task convincin' a woman to let her kid go. "So you're just gonna give up on findin' Sophia?" I asked more as a jab than a real question. I could see Rick get the point but he shook his head. "No. We're gonna leave food, water, and a sign for her in case she makes her own way back an' we're gonna make trips out there to keep lookin' for her but I can't just think about one person. I have to consider what's good for everyone." He sounded mighty convincin' but I wasn' bitin'. "Good luck." I said it as a dismissal but Rick stuck around.

"Daryl." Oh, great. 'Here it comes.' I called it 'fore the words left his mouth. "I know you're glad to see she's alive but I know Carol would feel a whole lot better knowing you're out there looking for Sophia with us."

I shook my head at the guilt trip. "Of course she would." I couldn' deny the fact that I wanted to help Carol. She'd already lost her husband now she'd lost her kid an' I knew she looked to me to find her. She never had to say it for me to know it. Jus' the way she looked at me when I went to look for her kid said it all. In the end I knew I had to go.

It took every ounce of strength I had to leave Al again. I just kept tellin' myself that nothin' would happen while I was gone, that she'd still be there. I knew she'd hate me for doin' it but I took one of her notebooks an' tore out a sheet of paper. She didn' have a pen but when I left the room an' asked Caleb he got one for me an' I wrote her a small note, placed it next to her, and forced myself to leave.

…

** Who's happy? I know I am. I've been dying to get back to these two! Sure I love Dezzy and the rest and I have some great plans for them but Daryl and Al are so fun to write about XD I hope you guys are glad to see them back in the same picture. Anyways in the next chapter there's some conflict, some happiness and maybe some fun? Carol isn'tgonna be too happy but let's see what we can do about that :P Until next time! Much love!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary:** Hey guys! Kind of a late update here because I've been kinda busy. Sorry. Damn life getting in the way of shit hahaha. Anyways in this chapter Dez gets an awkward lecture, Rick's group finally gets some good news, there's love in the warehouse, and Glenn is awkward as fuck XD Curious? Read on and enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer**: I do not own right to The Walking Dead nor its characters and I make no profit from this. Just a deep sense of satisfaction haha.

**Credits**: This chapter goes out to the people who have stuck with this story through its ups and downs. I love you guys :3

…

**Dez POV**:

"What you did was the dumbest thing you have EVER done by far." Caleb was pacing and he had that serious authority tone he only used on me when I really fucked up but at least he was talking. When he'd first ordered me into his office and closed the door he'd just stared at me, mouth opening and closing as if he had something to say but didn't know just quite how to say it. Finally he'd figured it out because I was getting tired of waiting and I just wanted to get the lecture over with.

I was seated in a chair in front of his desk, one leg resting casually over the other and my elbow on the arm of the chair so I could cup my chin in my hand and watch his slow descent into madness.

"You not only put your own life in danger but others and one man died on your watch and on top of that we all thought that all of you were dead!" He exclaimed, one hand brushing his hair out of his face furiously but it just kept falling back into place only heightening his frustration which, in my opinion, was hilarious but I dared not laugh.

Besides, he'd brought something up that definitely wasn't funny and I cringed at the mention of Cody. Yes, it was my fault he was dead. I'd thought the talk with Daryl had helped ease my guilt but it came roaring back now and I dropped my gaze to a spot on the floor and stared long and hard at it trying to force the image of Cody's agonized face as he was dangling into that hole and being used as a chew toy.

"But.." Caleb stopped and turned to look at me. I was terrified to meet his gaze but my eyes snapped up to his the second he spoke again. "You did well." He said and I lifted my chin from my palm, eyebrows drawn together. 'What?' I thought, taken by surprise.

He seemed to read my mind. "You may have cost a life and I know you're no doubt beating yourself up over it but you saved many more. I'm proud of you." He said and his eyes softened at the corners. "But you're still not going to let me do shit for a while." I stated and he shook his head sharply. "Nope!" He said and my shoulders slumped. I had already known the answer before asking but it couldn't hurt right?

I was back to feeling like I couldn't contribute. "I could probably have done some good looking for that kid of theirs. I'd already gone out to look for her a couple of times and was getting a good feel of the area." I said but it was already too late. The others had gone back to the group taking two of ours with them.

"Maybe." Caleb admitted. "But I know for a fact that hope wouldn't want you leaving again so soon and you've given me enough stress for now." He actually chuckled and my chest deflated with a sigh."That sucks." I grumbled but he ignored me. "Plus I'm sure Ruki and Roger will be just fine without you." He said. I knew it to be true.

Roger, Linda's husband, was a very capable older man in his early fifties. He'd been a family man ever since Tracy had been born and when he retired began a very impressive arms collection. Sure some of the pieces in his collection were useless now but some of them had actually saved their lives. He was a bit on the short side for a man but he was wide and a pretty fit guy with sharp eyes and one hell of a sense of humor. I had never really talked to him much but when I did he was always cracking jokes or playing cards with some of the others. He was good for the job but I felt like I'd been replaced.

"Yeah." I mumbled. "Still sucks though."

Caleb didn't look too keen on lecturing me anymore. Now we were just talking like equals which was way better than being treated like a child. "Maybe you should just take the day and spend some time with your sister and relax." He said and I arched an eyebrow at him. "When was the last time you saw me relax?" I asked him and he cracked a small smile.

"Good point." His smiled faltered. "But after these last couple of days it might be a good idea to start."

My heart was sinking and my mood was slipping into immense frustration with a side of slight depression. "I just…" I shook my head and went ahead and put all my cards out on the table. "I feel like I could be more useful." I admitted and immediately regretted saying it so openly in front of Caleb. Yeah, we were kind of close but I didn't want him thinking that I was weak.

"Destiny!" He looked so confused and shocked. "You very well could have saved this warehouse and every life inside today. You've done enough!" He exclaimed but I didn't feel like I had. I spared him a glance and shifted in the seat. "If you say so.."

"I KNOW so." His tone was soft yet firm at the same time. I stared at the ground again, my guts twisting, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in a while.

"Destiny.." Caleb sat on the edge of his desk in front of me, leaned over, and took one of my hands in both of his. "You are the most outgoing, assertive, and caring person I have ever met. You try to do everything for everybody and I can't even begin to tell you how admirable that is but if you keep going like this you're going to run yourself into the ground." He really was trying to make me feel better.

I locked eyes with him and since we were being honest with each other I decided that telling him exactly what was on my mind could be a step in the right direction. "But..I like feeling useful and needed." I told him, wishing I didn't sound so utterly pathetic.

He just smiled at me. "You ARE needed. WE need you, Dez. We need your courage, we need your kindness, and we need your ability to make us smile without even trying." He spoke softly and I could admit he was making me feel a bit better. I sighed, giving up. Maybe he was right. Maybe I did need to just take some time for myself for once.

"Right now Hope needs you….I need you.." He squeezed my hand gently and I let that sink in for a moment before confusion took over. 'What?' I opened my mouth to ask what he meant but he suddenly seemed to realize what he'd just said and cleared his throat. He dropped my hand and stood up to circle around to the other side of his desk. "I need you to take some time and recollect yourself. You've put yourself through a lot." He was back to be all seriousness even though there was a strange vibe left hanging in the room which made me uncomfortable.

I shook off the weirdness assuming the conversation was over. "Whatever." I grumbled and even though I felt bad about leaving without thanking him for his kind words I got up and left the room without another word knowing I was acting like a snotty kid whose parents wouldn't let them go out and play.

I quickly made my way back to my room being congratulated by a few people along the way. I thanked them and continued on my way, too busy with my own thoughts to really be able to enjoy the praise.

My door was open and when I walked in I spotted Hope sitting on my cot toying with the blanket absently. When she heard me come in she smiled huge. "Hey kiddo." I greeted her.

She already knew where I'd been. She'd seen Caleb jab his finger in the direction of his office and order me off. "Did he let you have it?" She asked. I frowned and shook my head. "Not really actually. He basically just told me to take it easy for a while. He said everyone 'needed' me and basically that I wouldn't be of use to anyone without some rest." I grumbled.

Hope patted a spot next to her on the cot and smiled sheepishly. "We DO need you, silly." She said as I made my way over.

I sat down with a sigh and slumped. "Then I should be doing something. I should be out with the others helping." It felt pretty good to sit down and rest my back but I was restless. Hope picked up on that fact instantly and rested a hand on my shoulder. "You are doing something just by being here." She said and I looked into those eyes that looked so much like my own yet nothing like them at the same time.

"How?" I asked and she looked wounded by the question. "You really don't realize that even though you were only gone for a little while it impacted so many of us when you didn't come back." Her voice was quiet and soft. "Especially me. I thought you were dead." She stared at me long and hard and I felt guilt painfully twisting in my chest. Damn, I was selfish.

"Oh, PITA.." I mumbled. I could only imagine what had been going on in her head in my absence.

She raised a shoulder in a lazy shrug. "A part of me refused to believe It but.." She trailed off and I nudged her with my arm. "But?" I probed, eyebrows raised in curiosity but she shook her head. "It doesn't matter. For a second though I actually thought it might be true…I'm sorry.."

It took me a second to grasp why she was apologizing. She felt bad about not having faith in me. I couldn't help but find it to be adorable. "Don't be." I said and put an arm around her, pulling her into my side.

She yawned and rested her head on my shoulder and I looked down at her face noticing the dark circles under her eyes for the first time. 'Hope..' I lifted her chin and frowned at her. "You haven't been sleeping." I said and she rolled her eyes at me when I dropped my hand.

"Kinda hard to sleep when you're worried about your sister possibly being dead or in the process of dying." She admitted and to lighten the mood a little I cracked a grin. "Tell me about it. I don't remember YOU staying up to keep watch all those nights when we were on our own." I pinched her nose playfully. "You should take a nap." I suggested.

She sat up and her big smile was back. "Will you take one with me?" She asked. "I'm not tired." I told her. She pouted at me for a second before poking me in the middle of my chest. "Yeah right. If you lay down for a while I bet you'd fall asleep." She sounded so confident.

It was my turn to roll my eyes but I knew she needed some sleep and if I didn't lay down with her she'd probably just stay awake to follow me around. I gave in. "Alright." I grunted and motioned for Hope to lie down.

It was a tight squeeze with both of us on the tiny cot but we managed and after switching positions to find one we settled on Hope lying on her side with her head on my chest and an arm tossed over my belly, her body cuddled up close to mine.

"Comfortable?" I asked her and she yawned with a nod. "Yup." She mumbled sleepily. I relaxed and began petting her hair like I used to when we were kids. She'd always like it when I played with her hair and for a while it felt like things were the way they used to be. Of course it wasn't but it was comforting to know that this one little thing hadn't changed.

Even after Hope had fallen asleep I laid there thinking back on the good ol' days. I made sure I didn't fidget so she wouldn't wake up and I waited until I was absolutely sure that she was fast asleep to move her arm gently and get up. She groaned and rolled over but she didn't wake.

I looked her over with a smile before I left the room and closing the door quietly behind me. I spotted Deacon sitting alone and made my way over to him to tap him on the back. "She's asleep." I told and pointed to my room knowing he was thinking about Hope. I offered him a grateful smile. "Thanks for looking after her while I was gone." I said and he nodded silently before getting up and slipping into my room.

I watched him go and looked around. I decided I wanted some fresh air and went to the stairs, taking them slowly to the roof. Once outside I went to the railing and rested my arms on it letting the breeze cool my face and ease my muscles.

Looking out over the open area I couldn't help but notice how lonely it felt up here without Ruki. I regretted the thought as it brought up mild ponderings. I wondered how he was doing as I watched the sun slowly begin to dip down towards the horizon.

…

** Ruki POV**:

During the bumpy ride back to the highway I thought nonstop about Dez. I knew better than anyone how bad she wanted to come back. When Caleb had given Roger and me the job I could see the disappointment written all over her face. I didn't question Caleb though. I just did as I was told. Caleb had his own reasons for doing what he did and I knew better than to question him on something like that. I didn't need to get into an argument with him.

I wondered what she was doing as we made it back. The sun was getting pretty low and I didn't see how looking for the little girl was going to be productive with night on the way. We'd maybe have an hour or so before we'd be fumbling around in the dark making our job that much more difficult.

When we stopped Rick was already giving orders. I jumped out of the back of the truck and waited for mine.

"Daryl you're with me." He pointed to his left. "Shane and Andrea you go that way." Then pointed to his right. "Glenn and Ruki that way." He looked ready to go and start this pointless search. "The rest of you will stay here and keep the others safe." He said and everyone broke off in their directions.

I looked to Glenn and Glenn looked at me. We both shrugged and went our way in silence.

I walked quickly, scanning the area with every step. For a while we remained silent but I noticed in my peripherals that Glenn kept tossing me glances. I ignored it for as long as I could before it started to get annoying. "What?" I asked finally. I didn't know anything about this guy but he just kept looking at me. Was I that funny looking? I thought on that for a second before rejected it. 'Nah. I'm pretty.'

Glenn looked like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have. "Nothing." He quickly responded. "It's just…I think it's kind of funny is all." He made me feel normal with his social awkwardness. Or maybe he was just put off by me. I couldn't blame him. Lots of people were. I was used to it. "Funny?" I asked not seeing any humor in the situation.

"They put the only two Asian guys together." Glenn said. "Maybe they think we'll combine Asian powers and become a super Asian." He chuckled nervously and I turned my head to stare at him. Had he really just said that?

He picked up on my lack of amusement and scratched at the back of his neck. "You know..Like a super saiyan? I mean you already have the blonde hair." He smiled. I narrowed my eyes at him and shook my head. "Wow.." I grumbled. 'He is incredibly awkward.' He was starting to make me feel normal.

"Oooookay." He sighed and we fell into silence again. After a while our surroundings seemed to be the same. Every tree looked like every other tree we'd passed. There was nothing substantial as a focal point. It was like we were walking in circles even though we weren't. I tried to preoccupy myself with thoughts of Dez but Glenn didn't seem to comfortable with the silence because he started talking again.

"So uh…Your parents must be super laid back. Mine would kill me if they ever saw me with piercings much less all those tattoos." He pointed to the sleeve covering my arm and I shook my head. "Nope. They have no idea. Plus they're probably dead so it doesn't matter." I shrugged and kept my eyes peeled for something. Any kind of clue that might lead us in a promising direction.

Glenn didn't look pleased with my answer. "Right.." He said and I guess I'd stamped out the short lived conversation with my answer because for the next thirty minutes or so he stayed quiet which was just fine with me. It might be boring out here but I'd rather it be quiet so I could use my ears for something productive instead of listening to his pointless chatter. He was probably a nervous talker.

"I don't think that rifle is such a good idea out here." He finally piped up again and I sighed. Of course it wasn't. Did he think I was stupid? "Nope. It's not. But I would never leave her all alone." I patted the rifle resting on my shoulders lovingly hoping he'd just shut up again but that was too much to ask I guess. "Her?" Glenn questioned and I shot him a look.

"You talk too much." I told him. Glenn threw his hands up in frustration. "Why is everyone so damn unfriendly these days?" He huffed. Was he hoping that we'd be buddy buddy or something?

Up ahead I saw a break in the trees. 'Finally. Some kind of sign that we may be looking in the right direction.' I was starting to get flustered with this whole thing but this lightened my mood a bit. "I'm not unfriendly. I'm just trying to focus." I informed him. There was a time and place for everything. If he'd caught me some other time and wanted to talk I wouldn't mind so much but I'd always had an issue with focusing on two things at once. Dez always made fun of me for my short attention span.

"Do you really think we're gonna find her?" Glenn asked and I swung my leg over a particularly large log in my way and stepped into an open area with a building smack dab in the middle of it looking extremely out of place. It looked like a church but I couldn't really be sure. It was just an average sized building with a cross on the peak. 'Weird spot for a building like this.' I thought. Maybe it had been better placed before the forest was overgrown around it. It didn't look like anyone had been inside since before I was born. "I think out chances just got a little better." I mumbled and gazed at the dilapidated structure.

I glanced at the entrance but didn't try it. Instead I began to circle around to the back. I was never one to go for the conventional approach. It was probably the only good trait of mine that had rubbed off on dez.

I took each corner slowly and carefully with Glenn following behind. When I peeked around the corner to proceed to the back Glenn almost walked ahead of me but I slammed a hand into his chest and shoved him back before he went too far and I flattened my back against the building, taking a second glance.

"What is-" Glenn started to ask but I put a hand over his mouth to shut him up. When I was sure he got the point I slowly removed it and began impersonating a walker to get the point across. Glenn nodded and whispered "How many?"

I held up three fingers and Glenn took a step back. "We should just use the front entrance then." He whispered and I rolled my eyes. "That's no fun." I grumbled quietly.

Glenn shook his head at my words. "This isn't supposed to be fun." He snapped at me quietly. He and I were obviously very different people. "Why not? Life is what you make it and right now we all have shitty lives so I'm going to make mine as fun as possible."

He shook his head again and was staring at me like I'd come from another planet. "Has anyone ever told you that you're CRAZY?" He gestured wildly but kept his voice low. I gave him a look and tilted my head slightly. "I'm not crazy. I'm just different than you. I'm surviving my own way." I told him. He put his hands up. "Whatever, man. I'm going back to the front." He said and turned to walk away from me. I had other plans though.

As he took a step I grabbed him by the forearm and, with a grunt, used his weight and momentum to fling him out into the open in front of the walkers. The look on his face was hilarious to me as he was spotted and he exclaimed "What the hell!"

The walkers started towards him and Glenn picked up a two by four lying on the ground a few feet away and looked absolutely panicked. I stayed hidden, waiting for the walkers to pass the corner and when they did I swung my rifle as hard as I could hitting one of them in the face and then immediately dropping to the ground to sweep a leg under another's feet. When it hit the ground I took my chance and smashed the butt of my rifle into its skull was just bits and pieces of rotting brain matter and bone. Then I turned my attention back to the first one as it came at me, hands reaching for me. I could see the excitement in its dead eyes at the side of food and swiftly kicked it in the stomach to put some space between us. With as much power as I could I pulled back my rifle and swung it in a wide circle successfully smacking the walker in the temple and its head crashed into the side of the building.

As the walker dropped to the ground I turned to check on how Glenn was doing. He was struggling a little bit using the two by four to hold the walker at bay. He almost lost his footing and stumbled a little before, with a grunt, shoved it back and quickly used the end of the plank to crush its skull when it fell. He looked deeply disturbed as he stumbled backwards and dropped the weapon.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" He shouted at me, eyes wild. "YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!" He exclaimed, arms flailing. "I could have DIED!"

I couldn't help but smile. "You were perfectly safe. You only had to deal with one of them." I said and he'd handled it pretty well in my opinion. Sure, he wasn't the most graceful killer in the world but he was efficient and he had done well.

"Bullshit!" He shouted. "You think you're so cool and badass with your fucking ninja skills and shit but you're not!" He jabbed a finger in my direction. I was starting to get the feeling he was slightly upset. "This isn't some game! You put me in real danger!"

I got tired of listening and walked over to the door the walkers had been pushing against. "Are you even listening to me, you jackass?!" Glenn shouted and I shrugged. "Not really." I admitted. "I'm more interested in what those fucks were so intent on getting at." I tried to peek into the window next to the door but it was impossible to see anything inside.

Glenn seemed to forget about his rage and joined me. "You think someone's in there?" He asked, still with a slightly bitchy tone. I tried to open the door but it was locked. "Of course." I said, What the hell else could it be? "What's the girl's name again?" I asked.

"Sophia." Glenn sounded offended that I didn't remember her name. I nodded. "Oh yeah." I mumbled and cleared my throat. "Sophia? If you're in there open the door." I said loudly hoping this would be easy. I waited but no response came.

Glenn stepped up next to me. "Sophia. It's me, Glenn. We're here to help you. Don't be scared." He said but still there was no response. I was tired of this approach and shrugged. 'Might as well do it my way.' I thought and took a step back. Glenn watched me curiously and I began kicking at the door until it gave and broke. I reached down and began pulling at the wood until there was gap large enough for me to fit through and stuck my head inside. I pulled it back out almost immediately and coughed harshly. "Holy shit that fucking stinks." I hacked and covered my nose with my shirt.

There was a smell coming from inside that was like a combination of rotting flesh, old moldy wood, and shit. I nearly vomited.

I pulled a small flashlight out of my pocket and shined it around inside before accepting I'd have to go inside. "You stay here and keep an eye out." I told Glenn and he looked around nervously but nodded.

I squeezed through the gap and looked around. I was in some sort of storage room. "See anything?" Glenn asked through the hole. "I just got in here. Give me a minute. Shit." I snapped at him and I heard him grumble something about me being unfriendly again but I ignored it.

Around me were a bunch of folded up metal chairs stacked against each other along with old benches and bookshelves covered in dust and papers sloppily placed on the shelves. I didn't see anything too interesting as I swept that small light around the room.

Somewhere in the far left corner came a small noise and I shone my light in that direction straining my ears to pick up anything else but it was quiet again. All there was over there was a giant cross that was leaned against the corner. I approached it slowly, ready for something to pop out but nothing did and I stared up at the figure of Jesus pinned to the wood, his face full of sorrow.

I stared at it for a moment getting creeped out by the look in the man's eyes before something on the floor caught my attention. I shone my light on it and noticed it was a shoe. I peeked under the cross and there she lay. A small child with short, curly blonde hair. "Hmm.." I crouched down to get a better look at her. She was curled up on her side, her arms wrapped around her waist. I could see she was breathing. Barely though.

"Sophia?" I called out to her but she didn't stir. 'Well that's not good.' I reached out and pulled her to me gently but I'm sure I could have swung her around like a ragdoll and she wouldn't wake up. I cradled her to my chest and patted her face. "Sophia?" I shook her gently but she just lay limp in my arms. I put my head to her chest and listened to her faint little heartbeat. "Shit.." I grumbled and quickly carried her to the entrance barely getting back through the hole with her in my arms.

"Sophia!" Glenn gasped. "Is she okay?" He asked looking down at her limp body. I shook my head. "She's breathing but she's not responding." I told him and the girl in my arms whimpered softly.

"We've got to get her back to the others!" Glenn exclaimed and I arched an eyebrow. 'Oh really? I thought we should just put her back where we found her and leave.' I held back my sarcasm and nodded holding my rifle out for Glenn to take. "Don't you dare drop her or damage her or I will end you." I warned him.

Glenn stared at it before taking it and nodding. "Um..Okay." He said and I held the little girl tightly as I began to run. Glenn followed behind me as we made our way back to the others.

We were so close when the sound of gunshots rang out in the distance.

"Shit." I muttered and ran faster.

…..

**Mute POV**:

How long had I been asleep? I thought about getting up and going to check if it was even still day time but for some reason I was scared to open my eyes. I was scared that everything had been a dream. That Daryl hadn't really been there. That I had been wrapped up in some crazy fantasy.

But then again if it all wasn't a dream then I was lying here with Daryl watching me pretend to sleep like an idiot.

I decided to crack an eye open and looked around, my heart sinking as I swallowed the hard truth that Daryl wasn't there. 'Fuck.' I sighed. I was really starting to hate my dreams. My brain seemed to find some sick pleasure in twisting up my emotions.

I turned my head and a piece of paper crinkled under my cheek. I frowned and picked it up. I had to rub the crust crap forming in the corners of my eyes along with the lingering fuzziness of sleep to read the words on it.

_ Al, Had to go. Be back tomorrow. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone and don't die. –Daryl._

I couldn't stop the smile that crept onto my face. He really had been here. I wasn't all alone anymore. He would be coming back. It wasn't all in my head.

There had been so many things I'd wanted to say to Daryl from the get go. How he was an asshole, how he needed to pull his head out of his ass, I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. I also wanted to thank him for saving my life, for keeping me safe all the times he didn't have to, and for actually seeming like he gave a shit once in a while. I wanted to tell him how glad I was to see him. I wanted him to know that I'd actually missed him.

"Ugh." I looked at the note again knowing that I would probably never tell him any of that, especially not that last part. Even If I did he would just make fun of me or say some awful shit. He never had been very good at talking about stuff that mattered.

I glanced at the door still wondering what time it was but if I knew I'd only start to get anxious for the others to return. I wanted to see Carl and I assumed he'd be coming with the rest of the group. I fidgeted a little and pulled a blanket around me figuring it would just be better for me to continue to sleep. Then at least I would be rested enough to actually be around for longer than a few hours.

…..

** Ruki POV**:

I broke from the tree line, running as fast as I possibly could. By the time I spotted the others I was gasping for air while Glenn shouted for help. "We found her!" He yelled and as I set Sophia down on the road the group was crowding around.

Carol pushed her way to her daughter and collapsed at her side. She lifted her by the shoulders and tears started to stream down her face as she stroked the girl's cheeks. "Oh no." She whimpered. "My little girl." She sounded so agonized as she rocked her child in her arms and cried into her hair.

"She needs water." I told her and since no one else seemed to be willing to get some I took upon myself and ran to find some.

….

**Carol POV**:

How could this have happened? I stared down at my little girl unable to see clearly through all of my tears that refused to stop flowing. I thought I'd lost her for good. I thought I would never see her again yet here she was in my arms again.

I stroked her angelic face, my voice trembling as I spoke to her. "My baby. Oh, my baby. It's going to be okay. I will never let you go again." I promised her even though I didn't even know if she could hear me or not.

Ruki came back with a bottle of water in his hands and he offered it to me. "Thank you." I had so much to thank him for. He and Glenn had brought my little angel back to me. I opened her mouth and tried to pour the water in but it just kept dribbling out onto the ground.

"Not like that." Ruki crouched next to me and gently touched my arm. "Put it in your mouth, tilt her head back, and give her the water." He spoke low in a calming manner. "You have to make her swallow. Massage her throat so it goes down." He told me and I did as he said a few times, my heart pounding.

I pulled back and stared down at her searching for some sign that she was coming back to me. After a few minutes I began to sob uncontrollably. "It's not working!" I was so overcome by frustration and sadness. The only thing I had left in this whole world was slipping away from me and I couldn't do anything about it. "What do I do?" I asked to no one in particular.

Suddenly Sophia began to cough and I froze, hardly able to believe it.

"Oh my god, Sophia!" I gasped, clutching her tighter. She was okay. She was really here and she was alive!

She opened her eyes, sputtering up water, and looked around before she stared up at me. Her eyes scanned my face. "Mom?" She sounded so weak that I cried even harder. I nodded. "It's me, baby. Shhhh." I stroked her beautiful face, the one I thought I'd never see again.

"I'm sorry I ran off. I was so scared." She said and I shook my head, my chest heaving. "It's okay, honey. I know you were scared but it's okay now. Everything is going to be okay." I reassured her. She nodded and her eyes fell closed again and the next moment she was asleep.

I picked her up and took her to the RV as the others looked on, relief spreading across the group like a wave.

….

**Deacon POV**:

Hope looked so sweet when she slept. I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it was the way her eyes would move back and forth behind her eyelids or the drool starting to dribble out of her open mouth. Either way she was the cutest thing I'd ever seen in my life. Sometimes I wondered just how in the hell I'd been lucky enough to catch her attention. How I was lucky enough to have someone so amazing in my life to be all mine.

I stroked her hair thinking back. When she'd first arrived with Dez she didn't really talk to anyone. She was shy which was what I noticed first because so was I. It took her quite a while to start socializing with the rest of us. Of course I hadn't had the spine to strike up a conversation. It hadn't been until one night she'd noticed me sketching that she actually sat down next to me.

At the time I'd been drawing her which was just about the most embarrassing thing that I'd ever experienced. To have your crush see that? Oh my god I nearly died.

I could honestly say that from the moment I'd seen her hiding behind her sister and staring at the floor awkwardly I'd had a crush. A big one. She was just so adorable yet beautiful at the same time. I watched her every day becoming more comfortable with her surroundings and with every passing day my emotions towards her grew stronger.

When she saw what I was drawing she'd giggled at me and told me that I had a good eye for detail but I'd forgotten to incorporate her flaws. Without thinking I'd blurted that she didn't have any and from that night on we'd gotten closer. We would sit and draw together for hours until she'd fall asleep on my shoulder. She told me what she and her sister had been through and the more I heard the more I wanted to protect her. To love her. I wanted to show her that the world could still be a beautiful place.

Somehow I'd convinced her to be my girlfriend and I thanked whatever force had brought us together for every day that I could spend next to her. She really was my hope.

I caressed her cheek and Hope's eyes fluttered open and when she looked at me she smiled that adorable sleepy smile she always gave me. Only me. "Hey." She greeted me while stretching.

"Hello, beautiful woman." I said and leaned down to give her a kiss.

When I pulled back she giggled and looked around. "I should've known Dez wouldn't stick around for long." She said and I poked her ribs playfully. "Well I'm sorry for not being your amazing sister." I gave her a fake, hurt expression and she shook her head. "You don't need to be. You're my amazing boyfriend." She smiled.

She patted the cot. "lay down with me." She said and I raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't think Dez would like that." I told her. If her sister saw us in her cot she'd probably threaten my life. It wouldn't be the first time either. She was so protective of Hope that I was still shocked to this day that she allowed me to date her. I guess she trusted me not to hurt her.

"She won't be coming back for a long time, probably not until morning. She's too restless." She told me and gave me her puppy dog eyes that she knew I couldn't resist. It was literally the most impossible thing in the world for me. "Fine." I gave in and crawled onto the cot with her to hold her.

She laid her head on my chest. "Mmmm. So nice." She mumbled. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder to play with her hair like I knew she loved because she would insist on it every night before we fell asleep. "What? Cuddling?" I asked and she smiled up at me. "That too but I was talking about your heartbeat. I like listening to it." She said and I kissed her forehead. "Thank. Well you should like it. It beats for you." I knew it embarrassed her when I said things like that but I couldn't help myself. She made me feel like no one ever had in my whole life. "I love you." I whispered against her hair as she lay her head back down.

She nuzzled against my chest and released a content sigh. "I love you too, Deacon." She mumbled and after a few moments she was asleep again.

There was something peaceful about tonight. As if there was nothing wrong in the world. I closed my eyes wondering if everyone was this much at peace with everything. Even if they were I knew that no one would be sleeping as soundly as I would.

….

**Awh. So sweet right? Deacon is such a love struck cutie :) So what did you think? I'm dying to hear allll about it good or bad. In the next chapter trouble is brewing again but there's also some fun to be had. I promise :P I think some drinking will be in order. Everyone needs a break right? Well until next time! Much love!**

** -**MeRci.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary**: Hey everyone! :) So I wrote out a super long chapter (No joke it was over 20,000 words) but then I decided I didn't want to post something quite that long so i'm splitting this night into two chapters. I'll have chapter ten up by tomorrow or the next day okie doke? So In this chapter the group makes it to the warehouse, Dez gives everyone the gift of alcohol, Glenn gets kissed by a man, and Daryl and Mute have drunken conversation. There was so much fun and drama in this chapter that I feel you'll enjoy as fans of Daryl and Al so read on and enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own right to The Walking Dead nor its characters and shiz...

**Credit**: This chapter goes to PlaneJane71 who went through and reviewed every chapter of this story which gave me the inspiration to write out these next two chapters as furiously as I did. I appreciate everyone who reads it but specifically it was PlaneJane71 that really gave me the momentum this time around so you get special thanks.

…..

**Daryl POV:**

I was impatient as a motherfucker as I helped siphon fuel from the surrounding cars an' got a mouthful of gasoline for it. I quickly spit it out and started rubbin' my tongue with my shirt. I'd prefer the taste of dirt over gas any day. I threw the hose, pissed an' kicked the car.

My mornin' was shit. Sophia was found, yeah, but that didn' stop the rest of 'em from findin' a new issue to bicker about. Today it was Al and the new group. After Rick had informed 'em all that she was alive Carl was excited an' was all over the place tryin' to help speed things along. He wanted to go so bad an' it was kinda cute. I can' say my reaction to hearin' she was alive wouldn' make me the same way.

Of course Shane had somethin' to say an' I was so close to layin' him out right in front of the others when he said it might not be such a good idea to go to this warehouse if she was there. That bastard had shot at me last night. He said he couldn' see properly 'cus it was getting' dark an' that was the second time in a span of a few days that he blamed almost killin' someone on a mistake. I knew what the fuck it was 'bout but that didn' piss me off nearly as much as what he said 'bout Al. He said she caused trouble while she was 'round before an' there was no tellin' 'what she would do next' like she was some unpredictable animal.

I knew exactly why he didn' wanna see Mute again. Because she could possibly blow his whole 'good guy' cover and reveal him for the scum suckin' bastard he was. The only reason I hadn' done it yet was 'cus Rick wasn' likely to believe it an' think I was jus' tryin' to start shit. What with all my pent up aggression towards him. Rick could see it. He wasn' blind. He was jus' too worried 'bout the outcome if he questioned it.

Then Lori had jumped on the bandwagon and it was weird. The other day she'd told Rick she was all for the warehouse 'cus she wanted to feel safe. Now that Mute was back in the picture she was wary. I didn' understand why but it pissed me off all the same. I'd asked what difference one person made an' she said that it wasn' just Al. It was Dez an' Ruki too. She said they had bad tempers and so far both of 'em had hauled off and punched someone an' she worried the rest of their group might be hostile too.

Like she wouldn'? Nah, Lori wouldn'. She had a big mouth an' could talk anyone out of doin' somethin' but she wasn' a fighter. I told 'em they weren' bad people an' Rick had stood up to her tellin' her she couldn' base her judgments on two people who'd reacted to extreme situations in an extreme way. Then she'd scoffed at how of course I'd wanna go. I'd fit right in.

Carol wasn' havin' it though. She walked right up to Lori an' got in her face to remind her that it was Ruki who'd found Sophia with Glenn. How if it wasn' for Dez's group Rick wouldn' even be alive an' that had shut her up real quick. I'd always seen Carol be friendly towards Lori but she'd snapped on her so quick. I was proud of her.

In the end Rick put his foot down an' we were headin' for the warehouse jus' as soon as we had the gas. Still left me pissed though.

I looked over at Carol sittin' with Sophia an' I could honestly say I felt a lil bad that I wasn' the one to find her. I'd seen the way Carol looked to me when she was misin'. There was no mistakin' the fact that she'd thought I'd be the one to find her an' 'cus it wasn' I felt like I'd let her down somehow.

I shoved that thought away an' made my way over to them jus' focusin' on the fact that the girl was safe. She was eatin 'outta a can of fruit that she only got halfway through 'fore handin' it to her mother complainin' that her stomach hurt. Carol nodded an' took the can from her strokin' her hair. "It's okay. You just tell me when you get hungry again." She told her.

She looked up at me when I stopped in front of her an' searched for the right thing to say. "I'm glad to see she's okay." I finally said an' Carol smiled. "Thank you for everything you've done, Daryl. It meant a lot." She told me an' I stomped on my swellin' pride at her words. That instantly made me feel better 'bout the whole 'me not findin' her' thing.

I nodded, looked Sophia up an' down, an' walked off to find Rick. I passed Shane along the way an' scowled at him. If he wanted to make it to the warehouse safely he was gonna have to steer clear of me 'cus I might just shoot him an' claim I couldn' see properly. That the sun was in my eyes an' he looked like a walker.

I let my rage go an' found Rick restin' next to the RV wipin' sweat from his brow. "We gonna be ready to go soon?" I asked an' Carl piped up next to him. "Yeah, dad. Are we?" he smiled huge bouncin' on the spot. He was so excited it was hard for me to be mad 'bout anythin'.

Rick chuckled an' patted his son' head. "Yeah. Just a few more minutes now." He said an' he was right. It only took 'bout fifteen minutes for the RV an' the truck to be gassed up an' have everyone pilin' into them. I got on my bike an' waited for the others to go 'fore me 'fore I started up.

The ride there seemed to take longer than it had before probably 'cus I knew I'd be seein' Al again. Ever since I'd found her alive I couldn' wait to get back to her. What if somethin' had happened while we were away? What if some walkers got in in the dead of night? Or if her wounds were more serious than she'd let on an' had died in her sleep? I spent the whole ride thinkin' of the worst case scenario but when we got there an' parked the vehicles in the back, an old man who introduced himself as Vince, let us in an' there didn' seem to be anythin' wrong.

He shook everyone's hand as they passed him an' we all filed into the warehouse. I made my way down the stairs to go see if Al was still sleepin' but I saw her at a long wooden table with some of the others includin' Dez who Ruki made a beeline for.

As I made my way over I looked over my shoulder at the group who were lookin' around. Some of 'em were nervous, some just looked curious. I saw Shane's eyes fall on Mute an' I got a deep sense of satisfaction at the way his face tried to mask the fact that he was not happy.

Rick tapped Carl on the shoulder an' pointed to Al an' his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "MUTE!" He shouted an' ran at her. She turned to see who'd called her name an' he nearly tackled her off the bench she was sittin' on in a hug. She laughed an' hugged him back an' they started talkin'.

They were interrupted for a moment though 'cus Caleb shouted to get everyone's attention. It took a few minutes to do so but once he was sure they were all payin' attention he spoke. "We have some newcomers with us now." He said. "I'd introduce them all but I'm sure you'll do that yourselves with no problems." He smiled at a few of his survivors who grinned back up at him obviously excited for new people.

"Make them feel welcome. We're going to have to share rooms and move around to make space for them but I'm sure we'll manage." He smiled down at Rick. "Don't be shy. We don't bite." He told him an' with that everyone started lookin' 'round at each other.

My group still looked somewhat wary but Caleb went to them an' I could hear him givin' them a rundown of the way things worked. I didn' pay any attention an' took a seat next to Mute as she talked to Carl. Across from me I noticed a blonde woman peerin' at me over a cup an' I raised an eyebrow. "What?" I asked an' she immediately extended a hand to me. "I'm Tracy. You were with Dez yesterday leading those walkers away right?" She asked an' I shifted on the bench.

"Yeah." I took her hand an' shook it. "Daryl." I gave her my name an' she smiled. "It's nice having some fresh meat around here." She released my hand an' leaned over the table a bit as if she wanted to tell me a secret. "Couldn't help but notice you and our conquering have quite a bit in common." She motioned to Dez sittin' at the opposite end of the table talkin' to Ruki who was stuck right by her side again.

"Uhhh.." I wasn' sure what she was getting' at.

"She's not taken." She winked an' grinned. "Neither am I." She hinted an' I tried hard not to be rude. We just got here. I didn' need to be makin' enemies. "No thanks." I grumbled. 'This is gonna take some getting' used to.'

…

**Mute POV:**

"I missed you too." I told Carl as he hugged me again. He'd had to have hugged me at least ten times already.

"I was getting really worried about you but I knew you were okay. You had to be." He said and looked up at me like he was looking up at a close friend he hadn't seen in years. "Of course I'm okay." I smiled. "I couldn't just leave you off duty could I? You were the one that said you'll protect me. Now you have to get back to work. You had a long enough break." I nudged him playfully and he nodded confidently. "Sure thing." He said.

Behind him Lori looked somewhat awkward as she approached. "Carl. Come on. Caleb is showing us where we'll be sleeping." She said and Carl turned to her with a frown. "But mooooom. We just got here." He said and she cracked a smile. "And now that we're here you have all the time in the world to talk to Mute once we get settled in." She said. She didn't spare me a glance but I couldn't blame her. Out last encounter hadn't exactly ended well.

Carl looked at me looking like he'd rather do anything in the world than listen to her. I shook my head. "She's right. I'm not going anywhere." I told him and he sighed heavily before giving me another hug. "Okay." He got up. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" He said and I nodded. "You bet."

I watched them go off with Caleb and I wanted to punch myself in the face when the voice stepped in and ruined everything. 'Ya know if you pretend hard enough you could actually have Noah back now that Carl's back in the picture.' It mocked me. I scowled. "Can you not?" I mumbled. "How about you just leave me alone for a while, you fuck." I grumbled and turned my head to see Daryl staring at me with his eyebrows raised.

"Ya want me to go away?" He asked and I shook my head. "I wasn't talking to you. Sorry." I said feeling incredibly stupid.

I looked down at my plate with food still on it. I'd only eaten half of it and now my appetite was completely gone and I picked at the food as the voice chuckled at me. It seemed to be getting less often that it spoke to me but when it did I was thrown into a horrible mood.

Next to me Daryl stared at my plate. "Think they'll all get along?" He asked me. I shrugged. "Who knows." And shoved my plate towards him. I wasn't going to eat anymore so he might as well.

He looked at it for a moment before digging in.

Across from us Tracy was watching us and when she and I made eye contact she giggled. "I see. Interesting." She said mysteriously with a grin. She got up and took her plate over to Chelsea. Daryl and I watched her go and I shook my head. "Watch out for that one. I hear she likes to gossip." I told him. I'd heard it from Chelsea when she'd come to change the bandages on my sides. I was trying to figure the people out around here without actually having to learn some hard lessons.

Daryl grunted at my comment and continued eating while I smiled to myself, mildly amused.

….

**Dez POV:**

I saw Caleb lead Rick's group passed the stairs towards the hallway and left the table to follow. I jogged to catch up to Caleb. "You know I'm not sharing my room right?" I told him. I was all for these new people staying with us but I was not so happy with the thought of giving up the little privacy I had.

He laughed as if he'd known this was coming as we turned into the hall. "Yes you are." He said and turned to Rick's group as if I didn't exist anymore. "T-dog. Glenn." He found them with his eyes as the two stepped forward. "This one is yours. It's kinda small but I'm sure you two won't be too cramped. Jackson will get you some cots. Lord knows we have plenty of those." He smiled and the two looked inside the room curiously.

"Dammit, Caleb. Throw me a bone, here." I said as we moved on to the next door. He shook his head. "Sorry, Dez. We need the space. You know that." He said and turned again. "Andrea and Dale. Welcome. This room has Jackson and Kirk in it already but there's plenty of room in here." He said and Dale smiled. "I don't take up much space anyways." He said and peeked inside.

I sighed feeling like I was getting nowhere. "Well at least tell me who I'm bunking with." I moved out of the way as he opened up a door. My stomach churned when he did. "Rick, Lori, and Carl. Here ya go. You'll have to clean out some of the stuff in here. It used to be someone else's." He said and Rick looked inside. "Who?" He asked.

"Cody and Ruki." Caleb said. Rick and I exchanged solemn looks before we moved on.

"Carol and Sophia you'll be with Tracy, Linda, and Roger." He knocked on the door before entering to see Roger inside putting away his guns. He smiled and waved at Sophia who poked her head inside, looked around, and waved at him.

Caleb immediately opened the next door down the line. "Now Shane you'll be rooming with Vince and Brandon. The only thing I need to warn you about is Vince's snoring. Sometimes I think he's part bear." He smiled at Shane who didn't look all too amused. "That's just fine." He said.

"Now what about Daryl?" Caleb looked around for him but he wasn't to be found with the group. He shrugged. "Oh well. If anyone sees him tell him he's bunking with Allison since they already seem to know each other." He said and Rick raised an eyebrow. "Who?" He asked and Carl rolled his eyes. "Dad..He means Mute." He told him and Rick's face was puzzled for a moment.

"Any questions?" Caleb asked and I raised my hand. "Who am I rooming with?" I asked and Caleb finally turned back to me. Yay, I existed again. "Ruki. Seemed fitting." He said and I stared at him, slack jawed for a moment. "God damn it, Caleb. I can't get him out of my ass right now as it is. So much for quiet time." I was not pleased about this. Ruki and I were close but holy shit I needed my space sometimes to collect myself. With him in my room with me there would be none of that.

Caleb shrugged. "Take it up with him. It was his request." He said and I sighed. "Of course it was." I grumbled.

Caleb left the others to settle in and started back down the hall. "At least he'll be able to keep an eye on you this way." HeHe He said as I followed.

"You know…I really don't like you sometimes." I told him keeping my stride long to keep up with his long legs. "Oh well." He said with a grin. He was enjoying this. 'Bastard.' I scowled.

Suddenly I remembered something and hoped I could use it as an ace. "Guess I won't be sharing my surprise with you then." I said and that definitely got his attention. He looked to me with an arched eyebrow. "What surprise?" He asked and I shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. You're kind of being a dick…" I said and folded my arms over my chest.

"You don't tell me and you'll be having Rebecca and Alicia in your room instead." He threatened and I shuddered. "You wouldn't. I'd sleep outside." I told him. There was no way I would ever share a room with those two. I'd have to kill them.

"Try me." His eyes were dead serious when they landed on me and I sighed. "Fine." I lead him over to one of the duffle bags I'd set aside and cleared my throat. If I was going to tell him I might as well tell everyone. I turned to address everyone and threw my arms up. "Excuse me, people of the warehouse!" I waited until all eyes were on me. "To celebrate a mostly successful mission and the arrival of new friends I give you alcohol!" I announced and opened the duffel bag for Caleb's inspection to reveal it was full of bottles of liquor.

There were a few cheers and I heard Kirk yell over the rest. "Dezzy you really are my hero!" He shouted and hooted.

"And when did you grab all of this?" Caleb asked me. I smiled. "While the others were gathering what they could I snuck off to the liquor store. I grabbed almost everything that was left. I'm surprised none of them broke." I said and rummaged through the bag and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. "We're sharing this." I said as he snatched it from me.

He stared at the bottle as if it were the most precious thing in the world. It was actually pretty funny. He was usually such a serious guy but when it came to Jack Daniels he was a big ol' softy. He loved the shit.

"I should be mad at you…But I just can't." He said admiring the bottle. I put my head on his shoulder and stared up at him. "Do I still have to share my room?" I asked hopefully.

"Yup." He said and walked away from me.

I followed him, pissed. "Hey! Gimme back the bottle, you dick!"

…..

**Mute POV:**

The day wasn't very exciting. Rick's group settled in just fine and there were no real worries. They had even started talking to some of Caleb's group. It looked like everyone would fit in just fine. The only worry I had was Shane who, though he was friendly, watched everyone with that calculating gaze of his and I kept getting the willies when that gaze would land on me. He was definitely making me uneasy and even though I'd sworn I would give more people the chance they deserved he was not getting one. I already knew what kind of person he was. If I gave him any chance at all I know I would regret it for the rest of my short life.

Things picked up once everyone had eaten and the sun had started to set.

Everyone had decided it was time to cut loose and just be human beings and we all sat in a large circle, candles spread out all over the place. Everyone had cups in front of them and most of them were filled with alcohol other than the kids, Rick, Lori, and Carol. I assumed they had water.

I'd even decided to drink, injuries be damned. I'd hobbled over to the bag, spotted a bottle of southern comfort, and snatched it up before anyone could take it. Daryl had spotted the bottle in my arms and smirked. "Ya know you're sharin' that right?" He'd said and I'd frowned. "I didn't know you were old enough to drink."

He'd looked at me confused and it was my turn to smirk. "You don't act like it." I'd said and he'd snapped "You're one to talk." To which I'd responded; "Not usually."

I looked around the circle now, the bottle of SoCo between Daryl and I and our cups full.

Caleb stood, cup in hand. "Thinking back on the last couple of days I'm surprised I didn't go crazy. It's been hard but I think tonight makes up for all of that." He spoke loud enough for all of us to hear. "I'm sure things have been rough for our new friends but I hope that you can feel at peace here for as long as you want to stay." He raised his cup high. "From all of us here, welcome! Cheers!" He exclaimed and everyone followed suit and took a drink.

I took an extra long drink. Just a few moments before we'd sat down Glenn had informed Daryl that he would be staying in my room and though I was a little glad for that I also had started to enjoy the alone time. The first night was going to be awkward as hell and I'd rather be drunk for it.

"You should probably take it easy." Daryl said to me as I lowered the cup from my face. I turned my gaze, glared at him and huffed "no" like a defiant child who'd just been told to take a bath after rolling around in mud.

He shook his head and sipped his drink. "Good luck walkin' later." He grumbled.

…..

**Dez POV**:

I'd chugged my first drink by the time Caleb sat back down next to me. "Still can't believe I have to share my room." I grumbled. I know I sounded like a bratty kid but I didn't care. I was the type to let people know exactly what was bothering me.

On my other side Ruki drained his cup too after watching me finish mine. "It's not so bad." He said. "At least it's just me. You could have had three other people in your room. You got lucky." He said with a shrug.

"Yeah." I grumbled. "Soooooo lucky. I have the most energetic fuck in the world as a roommate." I sighed.

Ruki took out a cig and did a handstand beside me, wagging the cigarette in my face. "Hush. You love me." He said. I rolled my eyes and snatched the smoke from him and poured another drink. "You are a good partner." I admitted. Ruki was probably the only person who knew me as well as he did. Everyone else needed explanations. Ruki just got it.

He plopped back onto his butt. "I'm the best partner." He grinned. I tried not to smile. "Sometimes." I said and took a nice long drink from my cup hoping the effects would hit me quickly. I needed it.

"Deeeeezzzzzyyyyy." Ruki poured a drink and dropped his head into my lap. "Smiiiiilllleee." He urged. "This is supposed to be fuuuunn." He lit my cigarette and stared up at me. "Quit moping. I know you wanted to come with us last night but it's over now. Stop dwelling on it. You're ugly when you frown." He said and I leaned back using a hand as support behind me.

I smacked him atop the head. "Your mom's ugly." I shot at him which made him grin from ear to ear. "How would you know?" He asked. "Because I'm looking at her son." I retorted quickly.

"LIAR!" He shouted up at me. "I'm pretty!" He insisted and stuck his tongue out at me. I quickly grabbed it by the stud stuck through it threatening him silently.

His eyes twinkled up at me mischievously and spoke sloppily. "You pull too hard on that and you'll give me an erection." He said.

"Oh my god!" I released his tongue and shoved him off of me laughing, my mood brightening. I don't know how he did that so easily. He could always make me laugh and sometimes I really hated it.

Ruki propped himself up on his elbow. "So all I have to do to make you laugh is talk about me getting an erection? That's not the response I'm used to from women." He said and wiggled his eyebrows.

I pushed on his shoulder. "Oh, shut up." I said with another laugh.

About an hour later I was definitely tipsy. Heavily tipsy and watching Ruki walking on his hands over to Jackson who he tapped on the shoulder with his foot. I tried to remember when his boots had come off. Probably sometime between his third and fourth drinks.

Jackson turned around and cracked up. He was a crazy happy drunk. Any other time he'd probably smack Ruki on the head. Instead he brushed Ruki's foot away and laughed. "Man, go on ya crazy bastard." He said.

T-dog was laughing too. "Is he always like this?" He asked and Jackson nodded. "Actually yeah. Just wait until he gets seriously wasted." He chuckled and Ruki hopped back onto his feet and stared at Jackson blankly before ripping his button down shirt open. "I'm a beautiful man!" He shouted and ran over to me, dropped into a crouch, and started shaking me by the shoulders. "Tell me I'm beautiful!" He insisted and I laughed. "Okay okay! You're beautiful!" I told him.

He stopped shaking me and hugged me tightly. "Dezzy you're so wonderful, and awesome, and cool, and nice, and.." He stopped and let out a loud belch. "That tasted funny." He mumbled and seemed to forget all about me as he looked around and his eyes landed on Glenn who suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Ruki swaggered over to him and flopped down so close to Glenn their arms were touching. "You called me unfriendly and a jackass." He pointed in Glenn's face and Glenn looked around for someone to save him but there was no one to come to his rescue. He was on his own. 'Poor bastard.' I chuckled.

"Uhhhh…Yeah. Sorry about that. I can see now that you're definitely not unfriendly. But you're still a jack-"

Ruki was staring hard at Glenn before grabbing him by the face and kissing him on the lips cutting him off.

"Oh my god!" Glenn shouted and shoved Ruki away from him and got to his feet. "What the hell!" He yelled rubbing at his lips as if he could rub away the kiss. Ruki pointed at Glenn and began laughing like a madman.

Kirk had witnessed the whole thing. "Holy shit! Ruki's you're gay?" He asked looking thoroughly confused. "Nope!" Ruki shook his head. "I just wanted to see the look on his face and look at it! It's hilarious!" He cackled and fell back, wiping tears from his eyes and holding his ribs.

"You're seriously fucked you know that?" Glenn looked pissed that he'd been the victim of Ruki's antics. Ruki sighed from the floor and smiled. "I know.

Hope almost stumbled over him on her way to me and fell into my lap obviously drunk. She always had been quite a lightweight. "Dezzy!" She giggled as she threw her arms around my neck. It was a good thing my legs had fallen asleep from sitting on this hard floor or I'd probably be in pain but thanks to the alcohol I was nothing but smiles. "Hey, Kiddo." I messed her hair up.

She didn't seem to mind and took a sip out of my drink and made a sour face. "Yuck. How do you drink that shit?" She asked and I laughed. "It's an acquired taste." I told her. "I think your taste buds are dead." She slurred at me and I shifted her super light body so I could cross my legs.

"What did ya want?" I asked her and she frowned. "I'm too drunk." She mumbled. "I wanna go to bed." She looked so adorable when she was drunk. "Then go to bed." I told her and she started kicking her legs. "Carry me!" She exclaimed and I rolled my eyes. "I'm drunk too, PITA. Damn." I laughed at her as she kicked her legs harder. "C'mon. Carry meeeee." She whined and I sighed. "Alright hold on."

She got off of me and stumbled a little until she righted herself laughing at her own actions. I stood up and burped, feeling some liquor come up my throat but I swallowed it as the blood rushed back to my legs making them tingle like crazy.

Deacon was standing off to the side watching with a smile as I opened my arms wide and motioned to her with my hands. "Okay. Bring it." I said and with a gleeful squeak Hope jumped into my arms. I caught her, nearly losing my balance but Caleb was right behind me and steadied us. "Thanks." I said over my shoulder and started stumbling towards Deacon's room.

Deacon opened the door for me and I basically threw Hope down onto the cot and she started laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world then suddenly rolled onto her side. "I think I'm gonna hurl." She grumbled and I quickly grabbed a trash can and slid it next to her just in time for her to empty the contents of her stomach into it.

I turned to Deacon. "Get her some water and keep her hair back." I told him and left the room. "Goodnight, Hope." I said before I closed the door chuckling to myself.

….

**Daryl Pov**:

It'd only been a few hours of drinkin' yet people were windin' down an' headin' off to their respective rooms. There were still a handful left though includin' the weird ass Jap that was beggin' Sophia to play patty cake with him. He was sayin' he saw lil girls playin' it an' wanted to learn. She was laughin' at him as he failed over an' over.

Beside me Mute was givin' Carl a hug an' tellin him goodnight. They'd been talkin' for nearly half an hour until Rick told him it was time for bed. Lori an' Carl headed off an' Rick thanked Caleb 'fore followin' after 'em.

Once they were gone Al stared at the bottle an' I could see somethin' brewin' behind her eyes. Somethin' that was causin' her some sorta emotional distress. Or it could jus' be that she was drunk. She looked drunk.

She reached for the bottle to refill her cup. "Haven' ya had enough?" I asked her an' she slowly lifted her eyes to meet mine. "Have you?" She asked.

I shook my head lookin' at the bottle that was way more than half empty. "Nah. But I have had enough of sittin' on this damn floor." I rubbed my lower back which had been on fire for a while. Al laughed. "Yeah. My ass fell asleep an hour ago." She mumbled and sipped her drink. I was jus' glad she looked like she'd forgotten all 'bout what had been on her mind a moment ago. When she got like that it made me wonder too much 'bout what it could be though I knew she wouldn' share with me. Of course she'd write it in her precious fuckin' notebook.

I thought 'bout the piece of paper in my pocket as I stood up. Al held her hands up an' tilted her head. "Help?" She asked an' I took her hands an' tried to be gentle as I pulled her up. I saw her cringe in pain but I couldn' help that. "Thanks." She bent down with a wince an' grabbed the bottle an' her drink.

I followed her to the room, spottin' Dez sneakin' up to the roof on our way. I thought briefly 'bout seein' what she was up to but when people go off alone there's a reason right?

In the room Al tried to use her good leg to bundle all the blankets up against the wall as a seat. "Watch out.." I told her an' stopped her. I piled them up for her like a makeshift couch. "There." I motioned for her to take a seat which she did slowly an' set the bottle down next to her.

"I'm drunk." She announced as she sat back an' let her head lean against the wall. I sat down next to her an' sipped from my cup. "Me too." I admitted. For some reason every time Al finished a cup I'd taken it as a challenge an' finished mine too. This bitch had got me lit. How she could even function was a mystery to me.

I thought 'bout the piece of paper again an' reached for it. "I got somethin' for ya." I told her an' she rolled her head to the side to look at me, her eyes filled with curiosity as I handed it to her. "I found it at the CDC after…Ya know." I said as she opened it up an' her eyes scanned it.

Her jaw dropped. "Oh my shit…" She grumbled an' slapped herself in the forehead with the paper. "What?" I asked. "You read it.." She said an' I nodded. "yeah."

Al groaned an' it sounded like she was sick.

"I missed you." I blurted. Yeah, I said it. She could think what she wanted but at least I said it. It might not have been the best timin' but I didn' know when I'd have the chance to tell her so now was good right?

She dropped the paper an' looked at me, her eyes searchin' my face for somethin'. What it was I couldn' tell. "When I thought you were dead..Those words kept me goin'." I told her an' she turned her face away. "Oh god. Shut up." She muttered an' I felt my temper flair a lil.

"Why?" I asked. She drank deeply from her cup. "Because we've been drinking and now you're telling me you missed me. We're one sentence away from getting super lame." She said an' I tried not to let my anger get the best of me. Couldn' she jus' let me say somethin' nice? She told me I was a dick, I knew I was a dick before an' now I was tryin' to make up for it an' she wasn' gonna let me?

I threw back the rest of my drink. "God dammit, Al. Ya start talkin' to me only to shoot me down when I try to get closer to ya? What the fuck!" Once I started talkin' it was hard to stop. "I spent every fuckin' day since I thought you died thinkin' 'bout you. I wanted to apologize for all the times I was an asshole." I threw my cup an' reached across her for the bottle. She stiffened up an' that pissed me off even more. I lifted the bottle to my lips an' started to chug.

"Daryl. Stop." Al's voice was soft an' she reached over an' lowered the bottle from my face an' took it from me. What the hell! She wanted to drink so I was tryin' to drink an' sudden'y she didn' want me drinkin' anymore? Why? Was shit getting' too real for her?

"No! You stop!" I exclaimed reachin' for the bottle but she held it away from me. "Always lookin' at me with those big eyes an' that hurt expression an' it ain't fair that you won't fuckin' talk to me!" I was frustrated an' gave up tryin' to get the bottle from her. I mighta been drunk but I didn' wanna hurt her.

"I am talking to you." She sounded tired, like all of this was jus' too much for her. I slumped against the wall feelin' pathetic an' mad. "You're talkin' but you ain't sayin' nothin'." I scoffed while she took a sip from her drink an' sighed heavily, her eyes focused on the contents of her cup.

The longer she stayed quiet the angrier I got. Didn' I deserve her time? Didn' I deserve to have her talk to me? Was this her way of tellin' me I didn' mean shit to her? I turned 'round an' punched the wall.

Al jumped an' I wanted to punch it again but I could tell I was scarin' her so I just set my head against the wall an' tried to calm myself. It was hard though. I thought She was glad to see me. I thought I meant somethin' anythin' to her. Even if I was jus' a guard dog I deserved to petted once in a while. Couldn' she throw me a bone? I was tired of feelin' like I was on my own. She made me feel like I was worth somethin'. That I was good for somethin' even if it was jus' keepin' her safe.

I heard her sigh next to me. "Fine. I missed you too." She said an' a part of me wanted to believe it but I shook my head. "Now you're just tellin' me what you think I wanna hear." I said an' closed my eyes. Everythin' was startin' to spin when I did though so I opened them again jus' in time for Al to touch my shoulder. I knew she didn' want to but she did all the same.

I looked at her an' her eyes were screamin' at me. "No. I mean it. I thought about you a lot." She dropped her hand though I wish she hadn'. When she was touchin' me it felt like I could think clearly. Her hand fell into her lap an' she took 'nother drink. "Hell, I dreamed about you. I thought about the whole group. It made me realize how useless I was." She drained what was left of her cup an' her hands shook as she poured more into it. "I regretted so much." Her voice had dropped to barely above a whisper.

I stared at her, head restin' against the cool wall. "What did you regret the most?" I asked hopin' that she would say what I wanted her to.

She was quiet for a minute, her eyes wonderin' over the room 'fore the settled on her cup again. "It's a tie between never giving any of them a chance." She turned her eyes on me. "And never thanking you for saving my life and looking out for me. Sure, you were a dick but I was a bitch." She mumbled an' I felt sorry for bringin' this all up. I really did have shit for timin'.

I turned back 'round an' slid down the wall shakin' my head. "You jus' didn' know how to react to everythin'. I know you've been through a lot. We all have. I don' know exactly what you've been through but I know it made you not wanna get close to people." I told her feelin' like she was bein' too harsh on herself. But maybe that was jus' the drink talkin'.

"Excuses." She mumbled. "It took a near death experience to show me that I can't let the past dictate my future." She drank again an' it was my turn to stop her. I put my hand over the cup 'fore it reached her lips.

"I dunno." I shrugged. "I like you jus' fine the way ya were. Ya pissed me off a lot but I still liked you." I wished she'd look at me again. Maybe then I could see jus' what she was thinkin'. Then again I knew better. Al was the most guarded chick I'd ever met.

She sounded so down. "You know..I thought you hated me." She said soundin' ashamed of admittin' such a thing. "What?" I was so shocked I dropped my hand allowin' her to take a drink. She nodded. "Yup. I thought you hated my guts."

Was she crazy? I already knew the answer to that. She definitely wasn' sane but that was the dumbest thing she'd said to me so far. "Why the fuck would ya think that?" I asked her an' she shrugged. "I don't know. I probably just didn't want to face the fact that I hated myself so I pushed those emotions onto you." She said.

I couldn' stop the laugh that bubbled up from somewhere in my gut. "You're right. We're lame. We drink an' look how we ended up." I muttered an' took her cup from her to drain it. She didn' stop me. She just watched. "But at least we ended up here together." She said an' I almost shit when she set her hand on top of mine.

I stared down at it for a second 'fore lockin' eyes with her. "It's weird that you're touchin' me." I blurted feelin' stupid. She jus' laughed an' took up the bottle. "You're telling me."

….

**Alright so what did you think? Lots of fun right? I had a blast writing this chapter because I'm so used to having to write so much drama that it was nice to actually write out these guys having some fun. Unfortunately in the next chapter the fun is over. There are still a few laughs to be had but it doesn't last very long because some serious shit is about to go down. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time, Much love!**

** -**MeRci.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary**: Okay so I felt like posting this chapter today just because I could. The anticipation was killing me and I got impatient haha. So here's the second half of the drunken evening but the fun doesn't last for long! Things have started heating up between a certain pair (Cough) Al and Daryl (cough cough), a secret is revealed, Caleb had a secret admirer? Oh and someone gets rejected and does something really really stupid. Read on and enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own rights to The Walking Dead nor its characters and all that jazz.

...

**Dez POV:**

The breeze was comforting as I stood on the roof, drink in hand. Things had started winding down so I thought I'd come out here for some odd reason. Whatever, it felt nice. I don't know how long I was alone before the door to the roof opened and Ruki came stumbling out fumbling with his jeans. If he was about to take his pants off I was calling it a night.

He noticed me standing there and stopped dead in his tracks. "Heyyyyy Dezzzzyyy." He slurred as he walked over to me suddenly forgetting whatever he'd been about to do. I sipped my drink. "Hey." And looked up at the stars. Without all of the city lights to block them out they seemed closer than ever.

"Why are you up here all alone?" He asked and leaned against the railing next to me. I shrugged. "I just wanted some fresh air." I told him and glanced in his cup. He was almost empty and I wondered how much he'd had to drink since I came up here.

He offered me a smoke and frowned down at the pack noticing he only had one left. "Something on your mind?" He asked as I took the smoke from him. I shook my head and smiled. "Nope. Just drunk." I said waving my cup around.

He grinned stupidly. "What a coincidence."

Something suddenly popped into my head and I took another drink. My taste bud really must have been killed because it was starting to taste like I was drinking water. "I'm actually curious about something." I told him and he lit up. "Shoot." He said and pretended to shoot me with his fingers.

"Why did you request to be put in my room?" I asked. I hadn't thought much about it until this moment.

Ruki suddenly looked very serious as he leaned over and lit my cigarette. "I thought I was obvious." He mumbled as he did so. I arched an eyebrow at him. "Let me guess. You left food in yours and now you have too many roaches." I guessed. It wouldn't be shocking. I'd seen the room he'd shared with Cody. He was a slob.

He laughed quietly. "No. Nothing like that." He said and I took a long drag from the cigarette. "Then what?" I asked. He turned, braced his back against the railing, lit a cigarette for himself, and blew the smoke up into the sky letting his head fall back to stare up at the stars. "It's a secret." I barely heard him.

"Oh my fuck. Ruki, the brutally honest badass has secrets?" I chuckled finding the very thought of it funny. Ruki never hid anything from anyone that I knew of. He was the one person you could definitely count on to tell you the truth whether it was offensive or not.

He shrugged. "Apparently only from you." He spoke to the sky. I nudged him with my shoulder. "The anticipation is killing me." I said wishing he would just come out with it. It was probably some stupid reason like he didn't want to sleep alone now that Cody was gone.

"Anticipation is killing you? It's been killing me longer." He muttered and I stared hard at him. "Enlighten me."

He turned his head to stare me down. "You really wanna know?" He asked. I nodded. "That's why I asked." I drank again.

He stood up straight and stroked his chin as if he were thinking for a moment. "Hmmm." He suddenly grinned. "Tell you what. You let me show you something really cool and I'll tell you." He looked excited and I wondered what it was he wanted to show me. He might have found something he thought was interesting while we were out and about. The last time he wanted to show me something it was a small clay statue of Godzilla. He'd found it to be a riot. I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Okay show me."

He reached over and took my drink from me and I was really starting to get curious now. "Okay come stand over here." He took me by the arm and moved me a few feet from the railing, adjusting my position a few times. "Hmmm." He looked up at the moon and then down at me and I was reminded in that moment how weirdly tall he was for an Asian man. He was taller than most American men and not in a weird lanky way either. 'Seriously he must have some crazy genetics.' I thought to myself.

"Perfect." He said and started feeling in his pockets for something. "Close your eyes." He said and I sighed. "Oooookay." I did as he said and waited.

I stood there for a few seconds expecting him to put something gross as fuck in my hand or something but when I was getting frustrated with him taking so long and was about to open my eyes to see what the fuck he was doing he kissed me. "I asked to be roomed with you so I can have an excuse to sleep in the same room as you. Dez, I love you." He said.

"That's not funny, Ruki!" I shoved him and scooped up my drink, chugging its contents and for a second I thought he looked hurt but in the next second he was laughing and he poked my cheek. I swatted his hand away. "You were right. I have crazy bad roaches." He said and shrugged. "Someone else's problem now." He smirked.

The door to the roof opened again and I don't know who I was expecting but it sure as hell wasn't Caleb. He was swaying slightly, bottle in hand and when he spotted us he frowned. "Damn. Here I thought I was the only one who thought of this." He said sounding disappointed.

Ruki looked at him and sighed stumbling a bit as he stretched. "This beautiful man is going to go find someone to thoroughly disturb." He walked by Caleb and laughed. "Maybe I can find Glenn and turn him into my Korean bitch." He cackled and closed the door behind leaving Caleb and I staring after him in shock and amusement.

"It's weird." Caleb chuckled. "I can barely tell if he's drunk or not." He said. I nodded. "I think that's his secret. He probably drank too much when he came to America and it now permanently drunk."

"Maybe." Caleb came to stand next to me. "Man it's getting foggy out here.." He grumbled before he seemed to come to some realization. "You know there's something I never understood about you two." He said and offered me the bottle. I took it and refilled my cup. "Oh yeah? What's that?" I asked setting the bottle down and holding my cup up for him to cheers me.

He knocked his cup against mine. "He attached to you so quickly. Before you came along Ruki mostly kept to himself. He was a goof and was still really weird and friendly but until you came along I couldn't really say that he had a single friend. Then you showed up and boom, Ruki had a BFF. How did that even happen?" He looked puzzled as he drank.

I'd often wondered the same thing. I couldn't even recall the day that we crossed the line of acquaintances to friends. "You know what? I don't even know. It just kind of happened. It's weird, huh?" I thought about it but just decided it was better to accept things the way they were than to dwell on why or how.

"Yeah." Caleb stared out over the dark field. In the distance I could see walkers fumbling around in the dark and briefly wondered what it was like to be one of them. To constantly be searching for something to tear apart, to be destructive at the core and have no other purpose than to kill.

"So…I'm pretty glad you're not dead." Caleb said suddenly and the way he said it made me chuckle. "Me too. Thanks." I said. Sometimes he just said the weirdest things at the weirdest times.

"Really. This place wouldn't be the same without you." He sounded extra serious which was odd because Caleb was rarely serious when he was drinking. It was making me a little paranoid. "I doubt it. I'm not that important." I told him the honest truth. I was just woman. There was nothing particularly special about me other than the fact that I was a beast with a bow. Well that and my insane persistence and ability to annoy people around me.

Caleb's eyebrows pulled together. "Of course you are. If anything..You're important to me." He said and I started getting the same vibes from him that I'd gotten in his office. I didn't like how it seemed like when people got drunk around here suddenly I was so damn popular. I put my hands up. "Woooooow. Yeah I've had enough weirdness for one night. I'm going to bed." I announced and dumped the rest of my drink and flicked the cigarette off into the fog rolling in.

"Dez." Caleb called after me as I headed for the door. "Nope." I waved to him and heard him sigh. "Goodnight." I called out as I closed the door behind me and headed for my room. Hopefully it was empty.

…

**Mute POV:**

"So you're tellin' me that I was wearin' a suit in this dream?" Daryl asked. I swished the small amount of liquid left in the bottle around before taking a swig. We'd stopped using cups and had been passing the bottle back and forth. Somehow we'd gotten on the subject of the dream I'd had of him and Noah and the grand ball that turned into a massacre. Of course I hadn't too far into it yet.

"Yup." I nodded. He looked perplexed. "I haven' worn a suit in my entire life." He told me and I wasn't surprised. He seemed like type that didn't go to formal events and even if he did go to one he'd show up jeans and a shirt with the sleeves chopped off. "How did it look?" He asked and motioned for me to hand him the bottle.

I gave it to him with a shrug. "Not bad." I admitted and he took a sip. "Weird."

"The rest of the dream was weirder. Believe me." I looked at him recalling the expression on his face right before his throat had been torn out. God, why was I thinking of that? I blamed it on the alcohol. "Tell me." He said and I shook my head. "Noooope."

He didn't push it surprisingly. "Fine." Of course I should have known something else was coming. "Hey. Now that you're talkin' can I ask you a question?" He was staring at the bottle and the light air around us seemed to thicken and I could sense trouble brewing. 'Hmmm.' "Go ahead." I was curious but at the same time wary. He had a look in his eye that I didn't trust. Something in him had switched.

"You bit Shane didn' ya." It was more of a statement than a question. I should have known it would be something along those lines. I recalled the day I'd been in the tent and heard him question Shane about it. It was only a matter of time before he started asking me questions.

I sighed. "Yeah." I might as well tell him. There was no point in keeping it from him any longer. He would have found out eventually on his own. Of all the things Daryl Dixon was, stupid wasn't one of them. 'Most of the time.'

"Why? What did he do?" He asked and I saw that coming. "This definitely is not a good topic." I said knowing that I'd be fanning some flames. "Why not?" He stared hard at me and I stared him down right back. "Because you're a mean drunk, Daryl Dixon. You were punching a wall earlier and if I told you it would probably piss you off and I'm not dealing with that shit right now." I refused.

He didn't look too pleased with the fact that I wasn't going to share the story with him. "Tell me." He said and I raised an eyebrow. "And have you go looking for him so you can beat the shit out of him? How about no." I took the bottle from him to take a drink.

"I already have plenty of reasons to do that." Daryl grumbled and I chortled. "I'm sure."

"Just tell me." He insisted. I set the bottle down with a 'clink' and looked him dead in the eye. "Just drop it. The past is past. It doesn't matter." I said. What would be the point in me telling him something like that? I already knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't like what I would have to say.

His eyes bore into me and I saw something in them that really worried me. "It matters to me." He said and I looked away uncomfortable with the way he was staring at me. It was more like he was staring through me than at me. "I don't see why." I muttered and took another sip. It was a cruel thing to say I knew that. For some weird reason Daryl looked after me. He always stood up for me so of course he'd want to know something like that.

"You don't…" He shook his head. "Of course you don't." His voice was low and I spared him a glance to see what looked like pain etched into his face. "Stop looking like that." I told him wishing we could just go back to the conversation we were having before but I knew if I tried it would just piss him off. "Like what?" He asked. "Like you want to punch something again." I told him.

'_He'd stop if you stopped acting the way you are towards him_.' Even the voice in my head sounded drunk. 'Acting like what towards him?' I thought thoroughly confused. '_Like you don't want him_.' It snickered and my jaw dropped. "I do not!" I exclaimed realizing too late that I'd said it out loud. 'Shit.'

Daryl stared at me, dumbfounded. "You do not what?" He asked and I quickly shook my head. "Nothing. I thought you said something." I tried to cover for myself but he was not buying it. "Something on your mind Al?" He looked a little concerned. I felt embarrassed as hell. "No. More like in it." I mumbled.

"What?" He hadn't seemed to have heard me. 'Oh, nothing. Just a very annoying voice in my head that just suggested something insane and awful.' I wanted to say but I kept my mouth shut. The voice was none too amused. '_I'm not annoying. You are. You can act like you don't feel anything for him but I'm in your head. You can't lie to me.' It snapped. 'Also it's not that insane and wouldn't be that awful if you think about it_.' It was seriously trying to make this whole thing sound so logical. I'd had enough of it's shit.

"Yeah. Right. A psycho with a crossbow who has more mood swings than a girl having her first period. Let me get right on that." I snapped at it. Then it hit me that I'd done it again. This was really starting to get out of hand. My eyes snapped to Daryl and I wanted to disappear. I'd really just said that. 'Kill me.'

Daryl's jaw dropped and he looked pissed. "Well that was awfully specific. Is that really all you see me as?" He asked and I was praying for lightning to strike me, walkers to invade the warehouse, anything to distract from the awful shit I'd just said. 'Oh crap.'

"No. I'm sorry. I mean, yeah, you're a little crazy sometimes but we all are. I…Oh god damn it." I grumbled knowing there was no fixing what I'd done.

Daryl stood up and snatched the bottle to take a long drink. "Nah. Excuse me. I think I'm gonna start my fuckin' period." He snapped at me. I had triggered this. There was no one to blame but me. I was officially a shitty person. "I really didn't mean that." I hoped he would just blame it on the liquor but that didn't look too likely with the way he was pacing.

"Ya know you can really be a bitch. At least when ya weren' talkin' I didn' know you were havin' such profoundly fucked up thoughts 'bout me." He said throwing his hands in the air. He sure was an animated guy when he was drunk and angry.

I tried to repair the damage again which I'd never been good at. "Well I'm sorry. Not all of my thoughts about you were 'profoundly fucked up'. But you did act bipolar as shit sometimes." Yeah I definitely wasn't any good at this. I only made it worse. It would have been better if I'd just stayed quiet and let him vent.

He rounded on me. "Did it ever occur to you that I acted that way 'cus you thoroughly fuckin' confused the shit outta me?" He didn't give me the chance to respond which I was pretty grateful for. "No. 'cus all that mattered to you was your own lil world. Ya never thought 'bout what anyone else was thinkin' or feelin'. All you ever cared 'bout was you an' how damaged YOU were." He jammed a finger into his chest. "Well I'm damaged too!" He exclaimed and I stared at him determined to keep my mouth shut but the voice in my head just wasn't gonna let that happen.

"Obviously.." The word slipped out of my mouth and my eyes went wide. 'oh god. No.' The voice was chuckling. It was seriously trying to instigate a fight with this man who'd saved my life. '_You two need it_.' It sounded confident. I was horrified.

Daryl swung the bottle in my face. "Ya know I really thought you were different but it turns out you're jus' as shallow and self absorbed as everyone else." He said I cringed. '_Ouch. He really hit the nail on the head there didn't he?_' The voice laughed at me

"That's not true." I told him and the voice. Daryl scoffed at me. "Yeah it is."

"No it fucking isn't." I lowered my voice feeling anger and frustration boiling up in my chest. I didn't want to argue but everything was working against me at the moment and I felt like I'd lost control of everything in my pathetic life. Daryl's next words threw me over the edge. "Wow. You're so full o'shit."

I snapped. "What about you, Mr. I'm a loner and I'm better than all of you? You treat people like crap for no reason. The only people you ever cared about was your brother and yourself!" I didn't like what came out of my mouth but it came out anyways like word diarrhea.

"I'm really startin' to wish that was fuckin' true." He turned his back on me and paced some more. "It is." I basically spit the words at him.

He turned back towards me and shoved a finger in my face. "I cared 'bout you!" He shouted, his face was red and his chest was heaving. He was worked up to the point of no return. Then again so was I. "That's a crock of shit. You just used me as a way to make yourself feel better! You could go around treating people like shit but you saved a helpless bitch that was fucked in the head and kept her around so you convince yourself that you're a good person!" It was like the voice and I were speaking at the same time. Whatever it wanted me to say I said it and for the first time in what felt like forever I was sticking up for myself with words. Wow. Go me.

"You don't know anythin'! Why the fuck do ya think I kept up with your stupid fuckin' distance shit? And you're one to talk 'bout treatin' people a certain way." His fists were clenched and I wondered if the bottle would break under that much pressure.

"So you wouldn't scare me off. You needed to keep me around so you could remind yourself that you weren't the giant asshole everyone thought you were!" I shouted at him. My stupid fuckin' distance shit? How dare he? He could go fuck himself for that.

He threw his hands in the air again. "I kissed you!" He yelled at me. 'Oh yeah. That was fucking great wasn't it?'

"You already told me that didn't mean anything!" I struggled to stand up but managed it fairly well and snatched the bottle from his grip to take a drink. Apparently I had it in me to be a mean drunk too.

He was livid. "I lied!" I swear his voice cracked. "I didn' want ya thinkin' that I was jus' tryin' to fuck you 'cus then you REALLY wouldn' wanna be 'round me an' ya'd already made it perfectly clear that ya didn' want me near you in the first place!"

"You left me!" I blurted.

"No. We got separated when you ran off." He said.

I shook my head. "When you went to look for Merle. You left me to deal with people I didn't know in a strange place. You wanna know why I bit Shane? Fine! He followed me down to the quarry while you were gone. He got too close, I tried to run, he grabbed me, and I bit him! Happy?!" I could feel my face starting to heat up.

Daryl looked puzzled. "He grabbed you?"

I couldn't tell if he cared or not. "It might not seem like a big deal to you but it was to me! I. Don't. Like. Being. Touched!" It was like he'd totally forgotten about that little fact just because I'd been letting people close to me for a couple of days.

"You don' seem to be havin' too much trouble with it now. Ya probably only did it before 'cus you wanted attention." He was back to gesturing wildly again.

I scrunched my eyes up at him. "Are you fucking kidding me? How does that make any sense?!" I shouted at the pure idiocy.

"I'm trying!" I yelled at him. "This isn't easy, you fuckhead! I haven't talked this much in years either much less yelled but it seems to be the only way I'm gonna get through that thick skull of yours!" my throat was really starting to hurt but once I started I just couldn't stop. "I'm trying to be normal for fucks sake! I want to talk like other people do. I want to be able to touch someone without panicking like some skittish fucking animal! I want to be fucking normal but apparently I just can't. It makes me want to give up and just stop letting people in but then I'm reminded that I don't want to die without having at least tried to have a somewhat normal human relationship with another person which I haven't had since my kid brother was fucking stabbed to death!" I threw the bottle against the wall and it shattered as the word diarrhea finally ceased and my mouth shut with an audible 'click'.

'_Healthy_.' The voice snickered at me and Daryl dropped his gaze to the floor. I was breathing heavy and realized I was actually crying which shocked me. When had that happened? I stumbled a bit and braced myself against the wall to keep from falling. That was the last thing I needed right now.

"I didn't know." Daryl muttered. I could barely hear him over the pounding of my own heart. "I didn't want you to; I didn't want anyone to know. I've never told a single person about it." I said in shock of my own words and actions. I'd kept it in for so long. Saying it out loud almost didn't seem real. "Al…I'm sorry." Daryl's anger seemed to have subsided to be replaced by pity which, to me, was just as bad. It's exactly why I'd never spoken of it.

I shook my head. "Don't be. It happened a long time ago." I stared at the ground trying to piece together exactly how we'd gotten to this point. All the horrible things I'd said and he was apologizing to me? It really made me feel like a piece of shit.

"How did it happen?"

Of all the questions he could have asked he had to ask that one? Oh well. The cat was out of the bag now right? 'Might as well tell him.'

"He wanted to stay out. I didn't. I thought he'd be okay just that once so I went home. Noah never came back. They said…" I sniffled and rubbed my nose and wiped my eyes. "They said he'd been raped before he died." I shook my head remembering sitting there listening to all of this when I really wasn't old enough to be hearing it. "Some scummy piece of fucking shit raped my little brother, stabbed him to death, and dumped him on the side of the road like trash." I took a deep breath and forced myself not to cry. There would be no use in shedding more tears over it.

"Holy shit…" Daryl mumbled. I felt a throbbing in my left side and looked down. I sighed and for some reason it was really funny to me that I was bleeding. "Awesome. I busted my stitches." I told Daryl. It must have been when I threw the bottle. '_Wow. Way to let your emotions get the best of you, dumbass_.' The voice mocked me but I ignored it. It had gotten enough out of me tonight.

Daryl came over to me slowly, like I was an animal that he needed to be careful around. I had bitten him once so it was understandable. He looked at the blood seeping through my dress, picking up once of the candles we'd been using for light and taking a close look. "C'mere." He grunted and started kicking the blankets out before making me lay down.

He went around the room looking at the medical supplies while I lay there and thought about everything that had been said. Mostly I ended up thinking about Noah. Why the fuck did I have to go and spew that kind of information to Daryl of all people? I thought the first person I'd ever tell would be more likely to be Carl.

When he came back holding a bunch of stuff in his hands I turned my face away really not wanting to look at him at that moment. It was bad enough we'd been fighting leaving me to wonder just what people in the other rooms were thinking. To add on top of that I'd shared with him one of my deepest secrets.

He sat next to me and set down the items. "I dunno how to do any of this but I'll give it a shot. Better than jus' leavin' it 'till mornin'." He mumbled and I could feel his eyes drilling into the side of my face but I refused to look at him just yet.

"Uhhh.." He cleared his throat. "I need you to take the dress off." He said and I lifted one shoulder in a half assed shrug. I didn't care.

He was slow with his movements as he pulled the article of clothing from my body. I glanced at him in that moment to see he was keeping his eyes averted and I was actually really happy about that oddly enough. It was weird. All the shit I had to worry about in this world that had gone to hell and yet I still didn't want anyone to see me in my underwear. I really needed to get my priorities in line.

I laid back down and he covered me with a blanket. All but the area he needed to get at. "It's not too bad. Only a few came out." He grumbled and set the candle down. He got to work trying to mend the damage but it wasn't my physical injuries that I was the most worried about. I was concerned about the emotional damage we'd done to each other on this night. Blood would wash away but cruel words etched themselves into ones memories for years.

"If it means anythin'. Merle was the only person I'd had a real relationship with. Everyone else was just acquaintances." He told me as he worked. I stayed quiet, thinking until finally I could bring myself to just accept that I'd been a bitch and that I'd told him something I'd sworn never to tell anyone else.

I slowly turned my head and looked at him trying to keep my mind off of the pain in my side. Stitches were a bitch. I watched him concentrate on his work. He was really paying attention to what he was doing. I don't know why I thought he'd been half assing it. It might have been the way he kept stopping but I now realized he kept stopping because he was making sure he'd done it correctly.

"Did you really mean it when you said you cared about me?" I asked him. He kept his eyes on my side and nodded. "Why?" I asked. It had been bugging me. I couldn't just accept that someone gave a shit. I was a woman. I had to know why.

Daryl shrugged. "I dunno. I figured you an' me are a lot alike. We were both nobodies 'fore all this an' neither of us really belonged anywhere an' neither of us was partial to lettin' anyone get close." He said and set aside a needle. He picked up alcohol and I hissed when he applied it. I guess he wanted to distract me from the pain though because he kept talking.

"You were right. I didn' wanna scare ya off but it wasn' for the reason you thought." His eyes flickered up to mine for a split second and he began taping down bandages. "I jus' didn' want to be alone an' after Merle was gone you were all I really had left." He said. I was a little shocked that he was being so honest with me. Then again with the night we'd just had I didn't see why he would be anything but honest.

I frowned feeling bad. I'd never really thought about Daryl seeing me as all he had left. We hadn't even known each other for more than a few hours when he'd found out Merle was stuck to a roof. He hadn't acted like I was anything special but I guess in his mind I was in a weird way. I was his responsibility so he had something left to hold on to. "Sorry for calling you psycho…And the whole period thing." I muttered.

Daryl shrugged. "Nah. I get it. I have a bad temper. Runs in the family." He finished up and leaned back to look at his handiwork. "It's not great but it'll hold 'till mornin' I think."

"Thanks." I smiled. "You want to get back to fighting? I think we were having a break though." I was trying to make light of it but the smile he gave me didn't quite reach his eyes. "I don' think either of us could handle a breakthrough. Everythin' would get weird an' later I'd take it back 'cus you're sudden'y even more distant an' we'll be right back where we started." He said. I knew what he was talking about but it didn't need to be said. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

I sat up, holding the blanket around me and staring at his face. There was something about his face that I couldn't put my finger on. He was unique in a really strange way. He could express so many emotions that other didn't pull off naturally in my eyes but somehow all of his were genuine. Like he had nothing to hide yet kept a mask handy in case he needed it.

He noticed me staring at him and looked away. "You shouldn' move 'round too much." He said but I wasn't worried about it. As not like I was planning on doing any jumping jacks or anything. I was just sitting up. "Hey Daryl?"

He looked back at me, curious. "Hm?"

I smiled to myself knowing I was probably going to hate myself in the morning and every day after but I felt like it was needed. He'd been there when no one else was. He'd kept me around when others would have run me off. He kept me safe when someone else would have let me die.

I leaned forward and kissed him quickly before I changed my mind. "I'll take that back later." I told him. The look on his face was fucking priceless. He stared at me with a whole tornado mix of emotions on his face but the one that stuck out the most was amusement.

"Like hell you will." He reached forward and grabbed me by the back of the neck, pulled me back in and kissed me.

…

**Caleb POV:**

I felt like a complete fucking idiot. I should have known better than to say something so stupid to Dez. 'Of course she doesn't want to hear that shit from you.' I thought to myself bitterly. It wasn't just that she didn't want to hear it from me but I was pretty sure she didn't want to hear it from anyone. Destiny didn't seem like the type of woman to really care about romance or anything of that right now. She was focused on surviving. She had enough on her plate without me adding to it.

"It's not fair." I grumbled to the night as the fog blanketed the warehouse. It was really thick tonight. A lot like my skull. I'd gotten drunk and said something I shouldn't have. Then again I'd slipped up while I was sober when she was sitting in my office too. 'Damn.'

I didn't know when I'd stopped seeing Destiny as the young girl she'd been when she'd shown up. She'd gone from the girl she was to the woman with no fears so quickly. It was astounding. One day she was a headstrong chick with a chip on her shoulder and now she was still headstrong but she was more logical about it. She was insane and she ran on instinct but it was admirable. She was different. Special.

I'd never expected to come to feel about her like I did.

I heard the door to the roof open and I looked expecting it to be Dez and my mood brightened only to see Rebecca slip out the door and my hopes plummeted. 'Of course it's not Dez. She went to bed remember?'

"Hey. What are you doing up here all alone?" She asked, a bottle in her hand which was odd because I didn't remember seeing her around when everyone was drinking and mingling. I just must not have been paying very close attention. "Thinking." I told her simply.

Rebecca and I had never really talked. On occasion she would wave at me or shoot me a smile from across the room but other than that we hadn't exchanged very many words which made me wonder why now?

"You want some company?" She asked and I couldn't help but notice she was wearing the shortest skirt I'd ever seen on a girl and a tight tank top with an extremely low neckline. I immediately averted my eyes back to her face putting two and two together.

I hoped I was wrong. "Actually I was just about to go to bed." I told her and pushed off from the railing, dropping my empty plastic cup over the side. I was ready to go inside but she placed herself between me and the door. "My offer still stands." She smiled wickedly and I felt myself cringe. 'You're just a kid.' I thought but I didn't want to be too rude. Girls like her always thought they were more grown up than they really were. "No thanks." I muttered.

Her lips puckered in a pout and she crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up in the most obvious display he'd ever seen. "Why not?"

'I may be drunk but I'm not that drunk.' I wanted to say but I put my hands up. "Because I can't even begin to tell you how wrong that is." I told her. I was probably ten years older than her and she acted half her age which was definitely not an attractive quality.

She swayed her hips as she stepped closer to me and put her arms around my neck making me shudder but not in the way she thought. "I don't see anything wrong with it. Two lonely people who've been drinking taking simple pleasure in each other to drown out the cruel world we live in for a short while." Her voice dropped a few octaves and spoke so intimately that I couldn't help but wonder just how many guys had fallen for stuff like this.

"It's because you don't see anything wrong with it that makes my answer a firm no." I hoped she was getting the point that she wasn't getting what she wanted from me. Unfortunately she was persistent and not persistent in the way Dez was but a disgusting way that was all her own.

She pressed herself against me as if I had said nothing at all. "I'm sure that's not the only thing that's firm." She giggled and I'd had enough. I took her by the shoulders and moved her to the side, disgusted. "Try your luck with someone else. Go find Brandon. I'm sure he'll give you the meaningless fuck you're looking for." I knew I was being cruel but I couldn't stand it when someone just couldn't take a hint.

I immediately took my leave, went to my office, locked the door, and laid on the floor to contemplate life and hopefully pass out in a drunken stupor.

...

**Dez POV**:

I had taken a detour to my room thinking that maybe walking around a little would sober me up so I had just wondered around the warehouse for a little while. It wasn't until I saw Rebecca heading up the stairs to the roof that I decided to get back to my room. Something about her had always felt a little off to me. In the zombie apocalypse she acted like nothing was wrong. Like we were all living here for the fuck of it. I didn't know much about her other than she was a real bitch that liked to cause trouble whenever she could to keep herself entertained. Maybe she just hadn't seen much of what the world had become before she'd been brought here. Either that or she assumed that the world would soon be back to normal.

I couldn't even imagine what she would be doing on the roof but I didn't really care either. I made my way to my door and opened it slowly checking inside hoping it was empty and that Ruki was off fucking with someone or maybe he'd passed out somewhere.

The room seemed empty enough. It was dark but I listened for breathing or any movement before deeming it safe and slipping inside. I fumbled around in the pitch black room to find my cot. When I did I smiled and flopped over onto it only to land on something way harder than my cot should have been. A body.

"What the fuck?!" I jumped into a sitting position, nearly falling off but was quickly grabbed around the shoulders and pulled back down and held tightly. "Get the fuck off of me!" I grunted and began pounding my fists into every ounce of flesh I could find before my wrists were grabbed tightly and held still. "Please stop hitting me. It's not a very nice way to wake someone up." The voice sounded sleepy and slightly grumpy.

"Ruki! What the fuck! Get out of my cot!" I demanded. What in the hell was he thinking? He knew I'd be back eventually. Did he think I would just sleep on the floor? Like hell! The bastard could take my privacy but he wasn't taking my bed. "But I don't have one in here yet."I could hear the pouting in his voice. Did he really think that would change my mind?

I grunted and tried to move but he wasn't having it. "That's your own fault!" I struggled for a moment before giving up. The dark room, plus squirming around was making me feel sick and dizzy. "We can share." He mumbled and was that a hint of sadness I detected? "Hell no!" I hissed at him. This was my room. He wasn't just going to do as he pleased. I had rules for fuck's sake and the first rule was no one but Hope slept in my cot with me. It was too small and I didn't appreciate people people assuming I would want to share.

"You've slept with me before." He said. That was true. We'd slept on the roof together one night while keeping watch and he thought we'd slept in the truck together but I hadn't been asleep. "So?"

"So we can do it again." He sounded amused as I tried to move again. "Fuck that." I grumbled and even though I knew it would turn my stomach upside down I swung my legs from side to side until I finally swung them so hard to one side and leaned with my body weight using the momentum to knock the cot onto its side sending us sprawling onto the floor. All of the air rushed out of my lungs as my plan backfired and Ruki landed on top of me. "Hoooollllyyy crap." I groaned as everything started to spin and I coughed. I just didn't want to puke.

Ruki didn't seem to mind our position. "You can be so mean sometimes." He mumbled and I felt my stomach churn. "Only when you're being a stubborn dickhead." I tried to breath normally and force myself not to hurl. "Ouch. Apologize." He said and I he pressed his chest flush against mine settling all of his body weight on me. I suddenly remembered that he was shirtless and I tried not to think about how good he looked without a shirt. I was just drunk. That was the only reason I would ever think something like that. I reminded myself not to drink ever again.

"No." I tried to jerk my wrists free but he wasn't letting up. He pushed them over my head and I suddenly felt very vulnerable and I didn't like it one bit. Ruki was pretty damn strong and it was not a pleasant thought when I came to the realization that I wasn't getting up until he let me. "I'm not letting you go until you apologize." He made this sound like it was some game to him. It wasn't to me. I was seriously having some fucked up thoughts right now and he was having fun? "Fine. Sorry." I said quickly and waited for him to let me go.

He didn't. "That didn't sound very genuine." He said and I could almost see the grin on his face as he leaned in close enough that I could feel his breath on my face. 'Oh dear jesus.' I thought and turned my face away. "Now you have to beg." He grumbled and I shook my head. "Ruki stop." I was really getting tired of this shit. He couldn't toy with me like he wanted to and he should have known better. I wasn't the type to just roll over and take his shit. I would seriously make him regret this.

"That's the worst begging I've ever heard." he sounded so disappointed. 'I swear to fucking god I am going to make you regret this.' I swore to myself.

...

**Rebecca POV**:

I was fucking pissed. I couldn't believe what the hell just happened. Earlier I'd snagged a bottle that I wasn't familiar with when no one was looking and took it to my room to drink and get some liquid courage to finally approach Caleb like I'd been wanting to for weeks. I just didn't know how to go about it and I figured if we were both drunk it would be easier. Then I'd watched him go up to the roof and I waited for Dez to leave so he was alone thinking it would be the perfect chance. I'd seen so many guys turn into skirt chasers with a few drinks in their system so I thought that Caleb would probably be the same way but he hadn't been. He'd rejected me.

I stormed back down to my room and slammed the door making Alicia jump. She had chosen not to drink with me even though I'd tried. She never liked drinking. She said she didn't like the way it made her feel. All I could feel from it was loneliness and anger. "What's wrong?"She asked me and I threw the bottle. It was fucking useless. It just made me grow the balls to do what I wanted but took away my ability to think properly. "I'm leaving." I told her. "You coming?"

I grabbed my bag and started throwing my shit in it. I'd been pissed since Dez came back honestly. I was really hoping she was dead then maybe I could have a chance with Caleb but even when she was gone I could see he was too busy thinking about her to spare anyone else the time of day. Then she was back and he was all about her all over again.

Alicia had slowly gotten up and picked up her backpack looking uncertain. "Holy shit hurry up, Alicia." I snapped at her as she moved at a snails pace. She nibbled on her bottom lip. "Maybe we should think about this?" She sounded so timid. I hated it and love it at the same time. She never stood up to me but then again she never stood up to anyone. It made it easy for me to get her to go along with whatever I wanted her to.

"I already have." I shoved more stuff into my bag. "I'm tired of sitting around in this place under the command of 'Caleb the great' and his queen bee 'Dezzy the dumb bitch." I huffed. "I can't believe he has a thing for her and she has no fucking clue! I basically threw myself at him." I quickly zipped up the bag and grabbed Alicia's because she wasn't moving fast enough for me and started shoving her crap in it.

She watched me, her lips turned down in a frown. "We're leaving because you got rejected?" She asked, confused. I blew my bangs out of my face and glared at her. "No, stupid. We're leaving because we don't belong here. We'll find somewhere else. Somewhere better." The very thought of it cheered me up a alittle bit. I was sure there was a better place we could go. Even if it was just me and Alicia it would be better than here.

"What if there is no place better?" Alicia asked and my mood darkened again. "God, you're so stupid! Of course there is." I threw her bag at her. "C'mon." I demanded and left the room. At the start of the hall there was an emergency exit and that was my destination.

Alicia jogged to keep up with me. "We're not going to grab food? Or weapons?" She asked me and I braced my shoulder against the door. It hadn't been opened in a very long time and didn't open easily. "We don't need that stuff. It's probably not even bad out there. If the others can go out and come back safe then so can we and we'll find a place in no time. Then we won't have to share food and water as much." I tried to reassure her but she still looked worried. "Cody didn't come back safe." She said.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Cody was an idiot." I said and managed to get the door open. I walked out and looked around as Alicia took a single step out. It was really foggy now. It hadn't looked that bad when I was on the roof.

"I really don't think this is a good idea. I can't even see anything." Alicia was full of complaints wasn't she? "There's nothing TO see." I snapped and grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her. We made it quite a ways out before she suddenly jerked away from me. "No, Rebecca. I don't want to leave. I feel safe here." She shook her head. "I'm going back." She said and started walking away from me.

My temper flared. "God, Alicia! you're such a pussy!" I shouted after her expecting her to come back. I could usually bait her by calling her out on her cowardliness but this time she just kept walking.

I crossed my arms over my chest suddenly feeling very alone and I didn't like it. "Fine." I sighed. "I'll go back!" I shouted after her as she faded into the fog. I jogged after her and I could see her getting close to the warehouse when suddenly she wasn't alone. Something came out of the fog at her and grabbed her. I heard her scream and watched as she tried to shove it away.

"Alicia!" I ran as fast as I could to try to help but by the time I got close to her blood sprayed everywhere as her throat was ripped open. She fell to the ground and I backed away only to see another walker emerge from my right and reach for me. I screamed and ran for the warehouse realizing I'd left the door open. There was hope.

I managed to reach the door and relief flooded through me as I grabbed onto it but suddenly I was grabbed and I was surrounded. I screamed "HELPP!" Hoping someone would hear me but I knew it was over when I felt agonizing pain in my shoulder. It was eating me! I was crying, trying to jerk away but my arm was broken as I struggled. Another bit into my face, holding my head in place while I kicked at a walker chewing into my leg. "SOMEONE PLEASE!" I shouted but it broke off as a gargle when I was dragged to the ground. I stared up at the sky knowing I was going to die completely alone.

...

**Daryl POV:**

I pulled away from my kiss with Al an' stared down at her wonderin' how it had even happened. We'd jus' been at each others throats an' now we were kissin'? I wasn' complainin' I was jus' a lil shocked. "I ain't takin' that back." I told her an' she suddenly looked away from me. I didn' like that an' turned her face back towards me. I wanted to kiss her again but a noise outside stopped me an I stared at the door.

Mute looked too. "What was that?" She muttered. I blew it off as nothin' an' turned her face towards me again. I wanted her full attention now that I had it. "Probably someone drunk tryin' to get to their room." I muttered an' stared into her face. She looked up at me with those big eyes an' I really wanted to kiss her again but when I leaned in again there came a slam against the door.

"Damn it." I grumbled. "Wrong room!" I shouted to whoever it was, tired of bein' interrupted. I was ready to get back to where we'd left off when the slammin' started gettin' frantic an' a sound came from the other side of the door that made me an' Al both freeze an' stare at each knowingly. "Walker." She whispered, eyes wide.

I snatched up my crossbow an' got to my feet quickly. I dropped down in front of the door an' peeked underneath an' stood up. "It's jus' one. How the fuck did it get in?" I wondered out loud.

Al stood up slowly clutchin' the blanket 'round her. "Stay here an' don' open this door for anythin'." I told her. I waited for her to nod in agreement 'fore I quickly opened the door, shot the walker, an' pulled the bolt from between it's eyes jus' in time to see more comin' in from an emergency exit at the front of the hall which was hangin' wide open. "Shit." I grunted an' closed the door to Mute's room.

I started runnin' down the hall bangin' on doors screamin' "Walkers!" I stopped to reload an' shot one that was gettin' too close. I had the walker's attention an' they started pourin' into the hallway jus' as people started comin' outta their rooms with weapons.

An arrow whizzed by my head as I was reloadin' an' I turned to see Dez loosin' arrows. I noticed she had a full quiver an' looked down at the walker she dropped. 'She made her own ammo? When?' I wondered but didn' have time to think 'bout it for too long. Ruki was by her side an' with their help the walkers started droppin' like flies makin' a path through the hall for people to escape through.

Dez started advancin' on the dead pourin' in pushin' the numbers back as she ordered people to run. She took her sister by the arm and shoved her towards the stairs as a skinny black kid rushed to keep up with her. They made a break for the stairs while Dez Ruki, an' Roger tried to keep too many from pourin' in but they could only do so much 'cus a few got by 'em an' one grabbed for Dez's sister. I bashed a walker in the head tryin' to make my way to her but the skinny guy with her shoved her outta the way towards Glenn who was comin' to help us.

"Get her out of here!" The skinny kid shouted as he was grabbed. The girl reached for him. "Deacon!" She screamed but he was dragged back an' bitten. he was doomed. I shot the one holdin' him to make a clear the way for Glenn who took the girl by the arm an' started draggin' her up the stairs. She was screamin' an' cryin' but she went.

A walker stumbled towards me but I hit him with the butt of my crossbow an' smashed it's skull as the blonde woman who'd introduced herself as Tracy ran by me with an older woman. "Wait!" I shouted at them but they didn' listen an' ran passed Dez who had taken out a machete an' was hackin' away at the walkers. Some got by her an' went for Ruki but he slipped away from them an' they went straight for Tracy who'd basically thrown herself in front of them. She was ripped from the other woman's hands an' the older woman screamed. "TRACY!"

Roger looked over an' took his focus off of what he was doin' an' when I looked back at him after dispatchin' two walkers an' he was bein' ripped apart. The blood splattered onto Dez's face an' she stumbled back wipin' at her eyes which resulted in her stumblin' an' nearly fallin'. She was a goner. Or so I thought. Caleb came runnin' 'royund the corner an' started shootin', bracin' Dez an' coverin' her 'till she was back in action.

Rick tossed me a gun as he ushered Lori an' Carl up the stairs. In all the confusion I hadn' seen him 'till now. I started shootin' with him an' the rest of 'em as Vince threw himself into the mix with an axe. Together we beat the numbers down enough to get to the door an' 'fore any more could get in Vince threw himself against it tryin' to close it but walkers piled against the door keepin' it from closin'.

"Get everyone out!" He shouted as he braced a foot against the opposin' wall to help hold the door closed. Dez moved beside him to help. "You're crazy if you think we're leaving you!" She shouted at him. He shook his head an' shoved her away. "God damn it, go!" She shouted at her an' she looked hurt. Caleb took her shoulder an' shoved her towards the stairs. "Come on, Dez. We lost." He said lookin' like he'd rather shoot himself than admit it.

I took my chance an' ran back To Al's room. She was dressed again an' had her bag clutched to her chest. "C'mon. We gotta get outta here." I scooped her up an' ran out takin' her up the stairs with everyone else. I made it to the door an' just as I did A scream echoed through the warehouse loud enough for everyone to hear it as I slammed the door behind me.

Faces were solemn all 'round an' Dez was on all fours punchin' the gravel screamin'. Ruki forced her to her feet an' started leadin' everyone down the stairs as the door to the roof started gettin' pounded on an' walkers rounded the back of the warehouse drawn by the sound.

"Where the hell did they all come from?" Shane asked. Of all the people who died why couldn' he be one of 'em? He musta run the second he had the chance. Dez, who had gotten herself together answered him. "The city. They must've started this way but I don't see what could have drawn them here." She shook her head.

Rick watched as Ruki fumbled with the lock on the gate at the bottom of the stairs. "How'd they get in?" He asked an' Caleb pointed to a walker that stumbled up to the gate, gnashin' its teeth. She looked kinda familiar. Dez looked an' her face twisted into an expression of anger. "Fucking Rebecca? Really?" She grumbled an' looked satisfied as she shot her with an arrow an' dropped her like a sack of potatoes.

Ruki finally unlatched the gate. "Everyone get to the vehicles." He said an' the large group of people started pilin' into the RV an' the truck takin' out walkers as they went an' I quickly set Al onto the back of my bike. She hissed in pain an' grabbed her side but I'd worry 'bout that when we were safe.

I threw my leg over the bike an' Al put her arms 'round my waist an' I didn' waste 'nother second. I sped off as the others were still startin' up their vehicles.

I spared a glance over my shoulder as we drove off an' saw the door to the roof burst open an' walkers piled out.

'So much for safety.' I thought to myself an' I swore I could hear Al cryin' behind me.

...

**So much for the warehouse! Looks like this group has to find somewhere else to go! Oh nooooooooo! Ah, I'm sure they'll be fine...Or will they? Muwahahahaha. So what did you guys think? I think in the next chapter I'll throw a curve ball...Hmmm. Maybe :) Well until next time, guys! Much love!**

-MeRci.


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